The New Battlefield
by LadyKnightSkye
Summary: Handler/CompanionFic, AU. When a millennial old war comes to the Earth, Sam Witwicky and an intrepid band of humans must come together to help defeat their powerful new foes. Their only allies are strange beings - half-robotic, half-organic - who call themselves Autobots.
1. Prologue: Their War, Our World

**A **_**Transformers: Handler/Companion Chronicles **_**Story**

_**The New Battlefield**_

_The Last Prime Part 1_

* * *

**Prologue: Their War, Our World**

He had slumbered for millennia, this creature locked within the Arctic ice. He had not truly felt the years go by, but the timelessness was just as bad. It was fortunate that he was of a strong will, or else the endlessness would have broken his mind into pieces, even though there were those who could argue that his mind was already fractured.

He finally became aware, deep in the cavern that his mind had carved, that he was being moved. He could feel his great body and his smaller one being hoisted into the air. He was still locked in ice, but something or someone was moving him. His mind started to race at the thought that he might be able to free himself from his cold shackles, but in the end his ray of hope proved futile.

When they finally settled him into his new home, the creature felt it. The artifact! It was so near, yet still so far . . .

He slumbered still, conscious yet unconscious, but he was waiting now. Soon, soon he would be able to free himself of this ice. His minions would come and flank him as he was carried to glory. Deeper still in the cavern of his mind, the thought arose.

So would the Autobots.


	2. Opening Moves

**Chapter 001: Opening Moves**

Captain William "Wild Bill" Lennox watched his men through slitted eyes. Jorge Figueroa was going on about not being able to wait for some sort of Cajun dish his mama made. Lennox knew that his men couldn't wait for the transport leaving in two days because he couldn't wait either. All of them were spending quite a lot of time being maudlin and thinking about their loved ones at home. Given half the chance Epps would flash the photo of his little girls to anyone who showed even mild interest. Just then Fig launched into a tirade in Spanish that finally roused Lennox out of his reverie. "English! How many times have we got to tell you man, none of us speaks Spanish?"

Fig launched into another tirade that made Lennox roll his eyes. "Fine whatever." he muttered.

"Hey, anyone else miss lazy afternoons? Sox at Fenway with a hot dog and a flat beer?"

Fig smiled. "Perfect day. Eh, you got a perfect day Captain?"

Lennox gave a crooked grin. "I just can't wait to hold my baby girl for the first time." The others started to make "aw" and cooing sounds. "Shut up!"

The helicopter landed not much later on the pad. Lennox hoisted his tired body up and made his way down with the rest of his team. His muscles ached and not for the first time he wondered what crazy incident in his childhood had led him to become a career soldier. If he'd done what his family had wanted and become a nice accountant like his dad or maybe a police officer like his brother he'd be sitting at home right now playing with his baby girl.

As Lennox went through his routine, he mentally shook his head. Nah, he was too suited to the job. He was one of those rare people who made a good soldier and realized it. The military needed every person they could get, so he'd stick around. Fortunately, Sarah understood. She hated it, but she understood.

The thought of his wife brought a smile to his lips. He'd get to see her beautiful face soon. Epps saw the silly grin that Lennox had on his face. "Hot date Captain?"

Lennox turned his grin on his buddy. "Yeah."

Epps smiled. "Tell Sarah I said hi."

"You know, once we go on leave, you really have to meet 'er."

"And you'll have to meet my Monique. Something tells me that they'll enjoy each other's company."

The men parted ways as Lennox went off to relax for a bit before his date with the webcam. He sat down and pulled out his personal log. He began to write just as one of the local boys came running over. "Lennox!"

"Heya Mahfouz!" he greeted.

"Some water?" the boy asked.

"Sure. Wanna help me with some of this stuff?"

The afternoon passed pleasantly as he waited for his turn. When it finally came, Lennox walked into the tent that housed the laptop that the troops used to web chat with their families. "Is she on?" he asked the tech.

Before he could answer, Sarah's beautiful face flashed onto the screen. Lennox grinned. "My ladies!"

Sarah smiled at him. It was her serene, joyful smile that made him think of a Madonna. Lennox's grin turned into an answering smile. Oh, but she definitely wasn't a saint . . .

He remembered the day that they'd met. She was a college girl and he was just back in town on leave. They'd met at a party given by one of his father's work friends. Will still remembered the way she'd laughed when he'd asked if she was single. For a moment he thought she'd shoot him down, but instead she'd told him her phone number and told him that she was partial to Chinese.

"I can't wait for you to come home. Annabelle laughed."

He chuckled. "She did?"

"Yeah, her very first one." Sarah replied.

"You sure she didn't just fart?"

Sarah giggled. "No, she's a lady." Annabelle began to cry. "She doesn't know you yet, but she will." Sarah bounced the baby, quieting her.

Lennox smiled, paternal pride and love coalescing in his heart. "Babe -" Before he could finish his sentence, the connection began to grow fuzzy and distorted. He realized he was losing her. "Baby, don't worry, I love you and I'll be home soon!"

The connection cut off right on Sarah's stricken face. Lennox growled, and felt a chill run up his spine. Something about her face and the abrupt disconnect disquieted him. He walked out into the twilight, wondering what was up with the internet. That was when he saw the hoopla over on the helipad. He was squinting at it when he saw the sight that would utterly change his life.

He witnessed Blackout's transformation.

Captain William Lennox was frozen in place. His terrified brain could barely process what was happening. It was at least a full fifteen seconds before he realized that what ever the hell this thing was, it wasn't friendly. He turned and ran flat out for his tent and for his men. He saw Epps and Fig marshalling the men and getting ready. Lennox turned back and watched as the metal behemoth ripped into the command center.

That was when Lennox saw the man. He was tall, probably hovering around six feet, five. He was dressed in some sort of futuristic armor, and it took a few seconds and a bright flash before Lennox realized that the armor looked exactly like the armor of the robot currently on a rampage. Epps took that moment to shove a gun into his hands.

"Come on, we've got to help em over there!" Lennox cried.

"Are you insane?!" Epps replied. "Look at that thing! It's rippin' into _tanks_ for Chrissakes! We've got to get out of here!"

Lennox pushed his friend to the side as they both dodged a flying Hummer. Lennox glanced back at the demolished vehicle. "I think you may have something." He gestured to his men. " Come on! We're out of here!"

Unbeknownst to him, the towering monstrosity and the strange man known as Blackout noticed the small group. The rest of the humans were running without any idea what they were going to do, but this group looked cohesive. They could possibly be a threat to him. He made his way to them, tossing tanks and trucks out of his way.

Fig saw him coming. "Captain!"

Lennox turned, but it was Epps who was grabbed by the armored man. Epps struggled and kicked to no avail. The armored man grinned evilly. "Pathetic things." he muttered. "It's almost a blessing that I kill you."

Lennox examined the armor quickly. The only part that looked remotely vulnerable was the mask. The stranger's mouth area was only covered by a plate of glass. Lennox hesitated for a moment. If he shot the mask, he might accidentally injure Epps. He finally squeezed the trigger.

Epps found himself laying on his back. He scrambled up and realized that the strange man was also laying on his back. The glass part of the strange battle mask was cracked, and Epps could see the bullet. He realized that he was lucky as all get out. The bullet had struck at just the angle to lodge the bullet rather than have it ricochet. As he scrambled up he cast a look at his comrade. Later, much later, he would chew out Lennox. Right now he was grateful for his life.

The group of Army Rangers sprinted out of the field of tanks that they'd taken cover in just in time. A great blast of energy knocked them all flat, but sent the tanks flying through the air. Lennox panted as he watched them drop to the ground not far from where he and Mahfouz lay. Whatever the hell this thing was, _it was powerful._

And he had never been more terrified in his entire life.

* * *

Blackout-Companion snarled in rage as he climbed to his feet. The damn human had _shot_ him. Fortunately, the bullet had lodged in his mouth plate, but he could taste the blood from where the glass had cut his lips. Damn insects. He couldn't wait until his leader rose up so that they could slaughter them all like their pathetic cattle.

As his Companion strode back towards his Handler two sets of optical sensors, one composed of soft tissues and the other of silicon reflectors took in the carnage. He did not take pleasure in it, and truth to tell he had never really enjoyed the aftermath of a good battle. The battles themselves, oh yes. The clean up, no. He hated seeing the once beautiful blood and Energon laying sullenly all over the ground and the bodies of the broken.

Doubly damning was the fact that he had failed. His mission objective had been to retrieve the files on Megatron from the United States database. Frenzy and Barricade's initial reports had indicated that it was possible that the supposedly powerful human nation harbored their leader deep within the bowels of its bureaucracy. His Companion's lips curled again at the thought that he would have to report in the failure, and that Frenzy, of all the damn mechs, would probably take the glory.

What was worse, those two fuckin' humans weren't among the dead. He'd set off one last huge blast hoping to get them, but they must have gotten away. "Scorponok."

The small arachnid robot and his human sized scorpion Companion clambered down from Blackout-Handler's back. The acknowledgment to Blackout's command flashed in the Decepticon's mind. "Hunt down those humans. Kill them."

Scorponok sent his telepathic acknowledgment and scuttled off to complete the task. He would gladly rip into the pathetic humans even without an order from his Chosen, but this was probably going to be his earliest chance to really rip into some humans. Starscream had forbidden wholesale slaughter until they found Megatron. Even though the humans were pathetically weak, in their Lord's weakened state - for he could only be weakened if they humans had him prisoner and he'd never ally himself with them - it was possible the humans might hide him from his loyal followers. Or at least that was the shit that Starscream had spewed. Either way, Scorponok was bound and determined to enjoy this.

Blackout-Handler transformed and his Companion disengaged his armor as he approached the helicopter. The metal slithered around his body until it all was contained within his gauntlets, boots, and backpack. He slid into the pilot's seat and lifted off. Time to go report in to Starscream. He was not looking forward to this at all.

* * *

Samuel James Witwicky had one major goal: to get a girl. Not just any Jane, Sarah, or Brittany, but one specific girl. Mikaela Banes.

He still remembered the first time he realized that he'd liked girls. It was his seventh grade science class, and he was watching Mikaela give a presentation on frogs. The light from the Power Point was shining on her face and he realized that her lips were utterly fascinating. His crush had lasted for years, right up until now. He couldn't help glancing up at her as he spread his materials out. He had to make an A so that he could get that car. He needed a car in order to help win her.

Of course, he knew that it was probably a futile effort. She was currently dating the star of Tranquility High's football team, the ever popular Trent Sanders. It would take a miracle to get her to look at him . . .

"So, for my genealogy project I did my great-great grandfather, Captain Archibald Witwicky . . ."

He thought it had gone well until his teacher had dropped the bomb. "I'd say it was a solid B minus."

"But sir! That was a quality report!" Sam protested. No, no, no! He needed this A!

"You were hawking your grandfather's crap!" his teacher shot back.

"Sir, please, I really need an A. My dad told me that if I brought him two thousand dollars and two As I could get a car. Please sir. Don't you remember your first car?" Sam pleaded.

His teacher's eyes grew misty at the memory.

Moments later Sam was dashing out of the building triumphantly holding the slip of paper with a red A- scrawled on it. He didn't pay enough attention to where he was going until it was too late. He slammed into a person standing next to the entrance of the school. They both went down, but Sam was quick on his feet. "Man, I am so sorry!"

The boy sat up slowly. Sam couldn't really see the guy's face because of the hood of his sweatshirt, but he could see his eyes. They were an electric blue, and strangely piercing. Sam felt the hairs at the nape of his neck stand on end. The boy stood up, and Sam realized that the guy was probably a little bit older than he was, maybe in his early twenties. "Dude, I'm really sorry."

The guy nodded, his blue eyes never leaving Sam's face. He made a gesture with his hands, but Sam had no idea what it was. The guy repeated the gesture, and Sam realized that he was using sign language. Sam shook his head and mouthed "I don't speak sign language."

The guy looked around and then pulled down his hood. His skin was pale and his hair coal black. He had weird tattoos covering his rounded face. There were two black lines that if viewed from the front appeared to be completely straight even over the dips of his eyes and mouth. On his cheeks were yellow stripes that angled along his jaw line. He pointed to his ears and smiled, showing strong, white teeth. From the glimpse he got of them, Sam could swear that the young man's canines were slightly _larger_ than normal.

The guy pointed to his throat and shook his head. Sam frowned, and the boy repeated his gestures. Then the proverbial light bulb went off. "Oh! You're not deaf, you're mute."

The boy nodded vigorously. He made the gesture he'd used earlier and mouthed "It is okay."

"Well, still, I'm sorry I mowed you down." Sam heard a car horn. "And that's my dad, so I gotta go. Nice meeting you!" Sam hurried off, his excitement causing him to completely forget about the strange boy. He was finally getting a car!

* * *

Sam was now convinced that he was not actually going to acquire a car. Bobby Bolivia's was full of Grade A junkers, and the car he stood in front of was just one of many dingy rat traps on the lot. He sighed and turned around. It was then that he spot two spots of yellow in the sea of blue and rust-red.

He walked over to them and examined the yellow VW Bug and the very vintage Camaro. Neither one was actually that bad, but Sam slid his hands along the Camaro. It was old and beat up, but at least it had racing stripes. Compared to the other junkers, he'd make do.

"I like this one." he said to his dad.

Ron Witwicky glanced over at Bobby Bolivia. "How much?"

"Well, taking into account the semi-classic nature and the custom paintjob - five grand."

"I ain't paying over four."

Sam sighed. Of course the one car on the entire lot that he actually _wanted_ would be out of his reach. He opened his mouth to try to cajole Bolivia when he heard the beginnings of a high pitched whine. He hit the deck as the whine turned into a sonic blast. He glanced up as the windshields and windows of every single car on the lot exploded. The shards of glass caught the light of the afternoon sun and were beautiful as they danced through the air. The twinkling sound they made as they hit the ground was just as pretty.

Bobby Bolivia got up and brushed himself off gingerly. He looked around the lot with a dazed look on his face. He turned to Ron. "Four thousand."

Sam grinned as his dad walked into the dealer office to sign all the necessary papers and such. He took a moment to actually get into his car. He liked the sound of that. His car. He shifted around in the driver's seat and smiled. Yeah, this felt right, just like all the bull that Bolivia had spewed about cars choosing the driver. Maybe the crack pot had something going there.

He took a moment to savor the feel of the seats and of the wheel. It was then that he noticed that the wheel had some sort of marking on the center. He rubbed away some gritty dust to reveal a strange marking. It was a stylized, stern, red face. Sam stared at it, frowning. He guessed it was a customizer's mark, but for the life of him he couldn't think of a time he'd ever seen it before. Maybe it was from some small time operation.

Sam slid out of the car and turned to meet his dad. He did a double take. Across the street he glimpsed the boy from school. Their eyes met again and the boy gave Sam an almost imperceptible nod. Sam blinked and walked over to the dealer's office. When he turned to look back again, the boy was gone.

* * *

Bumblebee-Companion watched the boy walk into the office. The spur-of-the-moment plan had gone off without a hitch, and for the first time in awhile Bee felt a spurt of hope. After a year on this planet, he had a clue to follow. This boy had the glasses that he'd seen on eBay, and he had to get to them before Barricade and his crony Frenzy did.

He'd only discovered the glasses a week ago, and the plan had formed when his heightened hearing had picked up that Sam Witwicky was buying a car. It had been a nearly perfect opportunity. Now, his Handler would be in the perfect position to protect Witwicky until Optimus and the other Autobots arrived. It would be awesome if he could insinuate his Companion into Sam's life as well.

Bee-Companion smiled as he walked into a store. Sam Witwicky had a cute ass, for a being that had no Handler. It was just unfortunate that the human boy wasn't at least bisexual like Bee was. He walked over to the frozen dinner aisle and grabbed a box of Hot Pockets. He walked to the check out and paid in cash. He'd discovered quickly that there were plenty of under the table jobs available in some of the seedier garages where his advanced knowledge of mechanics made him invaluable. He was currently renting an apartment over the garage where he worked. The rent was halved, but so was his pay. At least he had some cash from his stint of living in his Handler.

Bumblebee-Companion walked out of the store with his dinner. He knew that he needed at least ten of these Hot Pockets things to satisfy his hunger, but it was all he could really afford right now. He'd just have to pop more of those vitamins and hope that he could scrounge enough to get a few steaks. He knew that if he kept up a diet of high fat foods he would squeak by until the others got here. His Companion was in need of a really good meal. However, he estimated that he had at least another month before his dietary situation became dire. Fortunately, his Maximal, Spike, could hunt for his food in the woods outside of Tranquility.

That reminded him, he needed to go out and see Spike. He'd kept contact with his Maximal to a minimum so that local authorities wouldn't be alerted. Spike wasn't completely strange looking - the Earth creatures called "mountain lions" shared a marked resemblance with him - but Bee knew that humans would freak if they saw the white and gold cat creature. They would think he was some sort of genetic freak or a danger to the people in the area, both of which were the furthest things from the truth. Spike was a very typical marsh-runner and he would never harm a human without just cause. Of course, the humans were still very egocentric so even if they ruled a creature's attack necessary they would still punish the creature.

Despite all the hard ships, Bee felt light hearted. He was blessed with a cheery disposition, but even his circumstances had begun to dim it. Now, he had a reason to sing, even though he no longer possessed vocal chords.


	3. Decepticon Blitz

**Additional Disclaimer: **I do not own Good Charlotte's _Hold On_.

* * *

**Chapter 002: Decepticon Blitz **

Astronomers like to know what's going on in Earth's neighborhood. They're the eccentric old men and women who are constantly peeking out of their windows with binoculars trying to see what the kid from down the street is doing skating in front of their house. However, sometimes while they're watching the kid on the skateboard they don't see the thieves breaking into the house next door.

It is safe to say that the phenomenon that the astronomers are overlooking is actually beneficial for their race, but all the same if they'd known what they had missed they would all feel like fools. In orbit around the red planet, is a very special object, one that would make the nosy astronomers jump for joy if they'd ever seen it. Hiding in the shadow of Deimos is an extraterrestrial space ship. The ship itself would be unremarkable if not for the fact that its sheer size only housed up to ten individuals. Humans would gape at this since the ship in question barely fits behind Deimos.

Arranged on the bridge were five individuals. Two of the males were hard at work checking various readouts and gauges in the panels that lined the room, while another male was busy murmuring over the screen at his work station. The lone female was staring at the large screen that dominated the bridge. She turned to address the last male.

"The planet is quite beautiful isn't it?" Her voice was low and lyrical. The language she spoke was one that had never before graced human ears, but if it had, they might have thought she was speaking some sort of bastardized Latin.

The other male only nodded. He wasn't thinking about the planet, but what it housed. The Cube was here; he could feel it.

The female walked over to the male who was muttering to himself. "Do you need help?"

"Apologies, what did you say?"

The female's organic half smiled. "I offer my help. Do you need it?"

"No, no, keep Optimus from brooding would you?"

The female's laugh cascaded over her male comrades' ears and aural sensors. The male whom she had been asked to entertain smiled briefly. He was glad that he had allowed her to come along. She and Bumblebee did a lot for his team's moral. "I take it that you believe that's an impossible feat, eh?" he asked her.

The female smiled at him and shook her head. "No just that it would take measures that I'm sure Ironhide and Jazz would object to."

The two males at the forward control panels chuckled. "If you're talking about telling that story about Jazz's nephew and the dig at the Flats, then yes, I object." Ironhide said.

Jazz looked disgruntled. "There is nothing wrong with hearing about Smokescreen's mishap with the digger drone. Beats that time you and Starscream got stuck together on that satellite back before the war."

It was Ironhide's turn to look offended. "There is nothing wrong with that story either!"

"Just that you tell it too much." Jazz retorted.

Ratchet looked up from his readouts looking highly amused. "I'm sorry, perhaps it is the lack of my preferred type of bed partner, but I took her words to mean something very different."

There was a moment of silence. The female looked at Ratchet and her Companion scowled. "If you're implying what I think you are, I ought to hurt you."

"I'd be careful if I were you Ratchet. Arcee knows more than I do about Cybertronian anatomy, and I know enough to kill a mech at least thirty different ways." Optimus said in an amused tone.

Ratchet was just as amused. "Humph, but remember who taught you two youngsters."

Jazz glanced over at Ironhide. "I haven't heard Prime called that in ages."

Ironhide snorted and shot a bit of exhaust. "Ratchet must be in a really good mood."

"I can see why." Jazz murmured as he glanced up at the view screen. "I'm in a good mood myself."

Arcee poked Ratchet. "I am not using my body to keep Optimus happy."

"Your personality is enough for that, I assure you." Optimus said as he went back to studying the planet.

He didn't hear Ratchet's muttered reply, nor did he see Arcee land a vicious punch to the medic's torso. Their quiet bickering was just background noise to Optimus' thoughts.

* * *

On the most secure plane in the world it's easy to relax. The President of the United States and his various flunkies were enjoying the evening flight as they traveled to a benefit in California. If they had known what was among them, however, they would be far from relaxed.

Frenzy-Handler was creeping toward the elevator when he heard the woman chuckle. He quickly transformed into his boom box mode when she stepped into the elevator with him. He resisted the urge to snicker. He had to say that the view was particularly _nice_.

Back on the ground Barricade-Companion scowled at Frenzy-Companion. "What's so amusing?"

Frenzy-Companion grinned. "The view."

Barricade let it go. "As long as you're not indulging in that disgusting hobby of yours."

Frenzy kept silent. Barricade could be such a stick in the mud. So what if he liked peeking up women's skirts and down their shirts? Just because Barricade liked his women willing didn't mean they all did.

Back on Air Force One, Frenzy-Handler finally made it to his destination. He inserted his linkup and then went to work bypassing the mainframe's security. This was supposed to be one of the best protected systems on Earth? He nearly laughed aloud at this thought. Breaking through these firewalls was a piece of cake.

He crooned in pleasure when he made it through. Now to find the information that Starscream required. He did it quickly and then began planted the virus he'd designed. He knew that even though he had hacked in quickly, the government would be watching since Blackout's blunder. His virus would attack communications first, but unless he entered the right code it wouldn't enter the internet and begin infecting other countries. However, the process was a bit time consuming since he'd had to make sure that it wouldn't be able to attack any Decepticon that connected -

_Damn!_ They'd cut him off!

He ducked and hid when he heard the men pounding towards him. He guessed that he'd have to find another opportunity to activate the final code on the virus, but even without the protocol, it would wreak havoc. Frenzy-Companion smiled evilly.

Havoc probably should have been his nomenclature.

* * *

Lennox panted in the heat. The desert still stretched on all around him, but he was most concerned with the way they had just come. "How much farther to your village Mahfouz?"

The young Arab pointed to the south. "Not far. Just over that hill."

Lennox nodded. "We'll rest for five and then move out."

The men all found places to sit. There wasn't much shade next to the rusted tower, but they all tried to get into some anyway. Lennox plopped down next to Epps and leaned against the rusted out junker that was left next to the tower. "I never want to see sand ever again." Epps muttered.

"Not even at the beach?" Lennox retorted with some amusement.

"Not even. This is enough to make me decide that from now on family vacations are either Disney World or bust." Epps joked morosely.

Lennox chuckled and stared at the sky. "What do you think that thing was?"

Some of the others heard his question. "Satan." one of the others offered.

Fig shook his head. "No, I got a feelin' that bad boy wasn't the real deal."

"What ever the hell he is, he was bent on taking us out." still another pointed out.

Lennox finally decided to ask the question that had really been nagging him. "Did anyone else notice that the man's armor was identical to the robot's?"

Mahfouz nodded vigorously. "Yes! His armor was the same!"

Fig also nodded. "Coulda swore that they even moved together."

"What do ya mean?" one of the others asked.

Fig shrugged. "He looked like he moved with the robot. As if he were controlling it or somethin'."

Lennox was about to add something when he heard a strange sound. "Do you hear that?"

The other's slowly rose as he did, scanning their surroundings. Lennox stood up, completely unaware that he had a ten foot long mechanical tail following him. Epps pivoted only to notice that one small detail. "Holy crap!" he yelled.

Lennox whirled, saw it, and began to dance around as he shot the ground at his feet. Epps, Fig, and the rest of the team shot at the ground as well, but it was mostly a gut reaction. They all knew that their bullets would be stopped by the soil. "Whoa mutha!" Epps cried as the shots died down.

Without warning, Scorponok exploded from the sands behind them, and his Handler speared one of the men. Lennox yelled, but his cry turned to one of pure terror when he saw the human-sized scorpion burst from the sands. His cry was adopted by the rest of his team. Giant freakin' robots they could sort of take, but huge arachnids were another story.

Scorponok was joyous that his task had become so pleasant. These human creatures really were quite pathetic, even more so than those silly Maximals. He clicked in pure pleasure when his Companion managed to grab one of the humans in his pinchers. Something occurred to him as he slowly began to exert pressure on the human's body. What did humans taste like? If they tasted like Cybertronian Companions, then he might be able to get some more enjoyment out of this.

Lennox and Epps watched in pure horror as the scorpion thing began to eat Jensen. The soldier's cries of pain were deafening, and even though he hated it, Lennox knew it was time to cut their losses and get _gone_. "Get out of here!" he screamed.

His men didn't need telling twice.

They sprinted away, heading for Mahfouz's home village.

* * *

Maggie Madsen - for the love of God that is in fact what it says on her birth certificate - stared at the symbols on the screen with a sense of wonder. "What is this Glenn?"

The young black man didn't have an answer for her. "I don't know. Let me work my magic." He tapped away at some keys and then brought up files that were, thankfully, in English.

Maggie read through the information with a growing sense of confusion. "These are classified military files." She pointed to the screen. "Why would they need personnel listings?"

Glenn tapped his finger against his chin. "My grandmamma watches those history shows right? One of em mentioned that sometimes the names of pilots and stuff are kept under wraps to prevent terrorists from going after them since they're important to military strategy."

A light bulb dinged in Maggie's mind. "All of the files are marked classified. These have to be the master lists or whatever they're called for the military, and this information alone could be used to cripple the United States Military."

Glenn leaned back. "These other classifieds aren't military though. They all talk about some organization called Sector Seven."

She read through the file he'd opened. "What's this about Project Iceman?"

"And this Witwicky dude?"

They both heard the sudden crash and the screams of Glenn's cousin. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Maggie knew exactly what was going on. "Crap." she muttered just as the FBI kicked in Glenn's door.

* * *

Across the country, Sam was thankfully oblivious to all this madness. He was having a pretty okay morning after a truly sucky night. It had started out stellar when he got to take Mikaela home, but went down hill fast when his Camaro got stolen. Then he was arrested for trespassing while following the car thief and had the misfortune of having to deal with a cop who personified the word "asshole".

He sipped from the milk carton - if his mom knew she would have a fit - and was looking out on the side yard. That's when his Camaro rolled into view startling him badly enough that he flung the carton of milk across the kitchen. "Shit!" he squeaked.

Sam scrambled across the room to the phone and dialed Miles' number in a state of complete panic. Miles answered on the third ring. "'Ello?"

"Miles, it's me, and I need your help!"

"Whoa, hold on, what's going on Sam?"

"My car is back, it drives itself around, my God Miles, _Satan's Camaro is stalking me!_"

Miles was completely taken aback by Sam's words. "Dude, what?"

Sam slammed down the telephone and made a run for the garage. Too late he remembered that his bike was still impounded by the police. The only vehicle at his disposal was his mom's girly, bubblegum pink bike. As he flung open the garage door, Sam decided that he didn't care what color it was just as long as it had wheels to get him the hell outta there. He jumped on it and began to pedal for all he was worth towards the center of town. He didn't dare look back, but the sounds of the car's engine told him all he needed to know.

He reached the beginnings of the shopping district when he spotted Mikaela lounging outside of Burger King with her friends. She looked up with a puzzled expression when she spotted him riding hell bent for leather towards her. Sam decided that it was just his luck that the girl he'd been attracted to for years would be the one that would spot him on this girly bike. When he got away from this demonic car he would bash his head into a wall.

Mikaela stared at Sam while trying to decide what he could possibly be doing. She was confused by not only his bike, but the panicked look on his face. She realized that he was headed for the pothole in the sidewalk, but before she could call a warning, he hit the debris. He went flying and landed on his back, his pained eyes staring into her incredulous ones. For wont of a better greeting she said, "Um, that was pretty rockin' Sam."

"Thanks." he said tightly. "It felt pretty rockin'." He got up slowly and looked back. "Okay, gotta go, being chased by my car!" He jumped back on the pink bike and made his get away.

Mikaela stared after him and got up. "I'll see you guys later." She hurried over to her moped, and started it up. She was just leaving the parking lot when a police car skidded to a halt in front of her, obviously thinking she was going to pull out in front of him. She stopped and stared. She couldn't see much through the tinted windows, but she thought she saw the officer glowering at her. With a squeal, the police car pealed off.

* * *

Sam turned into what looked like a car graveyard underneath an overpass. He heard the Camaro turn in behind him, but he saw police lights up ahead. Giving a prayer of thanks up to heaven, he jumped off the bike and made a beeline for the car. "Oh thank you! Officer, look you gotta help me! My car is chasing me, so you gotta get out of the car!"

The officer opened his door and got out. He wasn't dressed in a uniform, and the look in his eyes wasn't friendly. The man had to be at least six foot, four, and his eyes were blood red. His white hair was shaggy and at odds with his dark skin. Sam realized that he might have made a slight mistake. Before the teen could do anything he found himself being hoisted into the air by the man. "Are you username Ladiesman 217?"

"Dude I don't know -"

"Shut up!" the man snarled as he shook Sam. His curled lips revealed white teeth that looked like they might be at home in a vampire's mouth. "Are you Samuel James Witwicky?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see someone running low and fast towards them, and then Sam found himself suddenly sailing through the air to land on a car's hood. He slowly got to his feet in time to see the strange boy from the other day running towards him. He then heard Mikaela's voice. "Sam, get in the car!"

Sam turned to see her crouching in the passenger seat of his Camaro. He did as she instructed and found himself huddling in the front seat with her. The boy slid into the driver's seat and shut his door.

The radio belted out a lyric from an old popular song. "_Hold on if you feel like letting go._"

Sam and Mikaela didn't need telling twice. The Camaro peeled out of the junkyard with the roar of a Saleen Mustang following it.


	4. Factory Battle

**Additional Disclaimer:** Any further use of song lyrics and sound bites are copyright their respective owners.

* * *

**Chapter 003: Factory Battle**

Sam's stomach almost revolted as the strange boy cut a sharp turn. It didn't matter that the move threw Mikaela Banes against his body since he was too terrified to register the fact that the girl he'd had a crush on for years was currently sharing the front seat with him. He made a small sound that caught her attention. "You okay Sam?"

"I think I may be sick." he muttered.

The boy glanced at him. "_There's no stopping us now!_" belted out the radio.

Sam swallowed hard. "I can't help it man! My stomach is doing the mambo and won't listen to me!"

The boy made a face. Mikaela looked out the back window and placed a hand on Sam's arm. "I would be sympathetic, but right now, the homicidal cop is catching up!"

Sam glanced back, and his stomach nearly came out of his mouth. The cop was close enough for them to see his snarl clearly. "Go man, go!" he cried in fear.

The boy rolled his eyes and cut into an old factory. He tried his best to find a safe hiding place, but he knew that it was nearly futile with Barricade right on his ass. This was not going to end well. Bumblebee sighed. Oh, what the hell, he might as well just pick a spot to fight. It was a damn good thing he was in the mood for one.

Before Mikaela or Sam could even think, they were flying through the air and landing on the hard gravel. The air whooshed out of Sam's lungs when he hit, and he finally gave in to his need to vomit. Mikaela staggered to her feet and grabbed his shoulders. "Come on Sam!" she cried. "We have to move!"

Sam's head swung around just in time to see a huge, yellow robot tackle a black one, and the strange boy doing the exact same thing to the evil cop. The combatants rolled, and Sam realized that Mikaela was right. They had to move _now. _He got to his feet and the two teens broke into a run.

Mikaela cocked her head when she noticed another noise about the sounds of combat and the crunching gravel underneath her feet. She glanced back and screamed in fright. A young man was chasing them, along with a silver man-sized robot. The man and silver robot laughed evilly while they leisurely chased the teens. Sam and Mikaela tried to run through two large tanks, but she tripped over an exposed pipe causing them both to go down. Sam screamed when he felt the sharp fingers of the robot close around his ankles.

The scream was echoed by Mikaela as she felt the weight of the man at her back. His breath on her neck was hot, and she could almost smell a metallic tang on his skin. "Don't worry little human, I won't hurt you . . . Much."

She bucked and kicked, but to no avail. The man turned her over, and Mikaela met the most malevolent eyes she had ever seen. They were a glowing blue, not unlike a summer sky. That was the worst part of it all; the fact that those eyes should remind her of angels, not demons. His short hair was white blond, his skin was a healthy tan, and his face would have been handsome had it not been wreathed in an almost demonic expression. She continued to struggle, but it soon became apparent that he liked that _a lot_. Mikaela began to cry in fear as she realized that she was probably going to be raped.

* * *

Bumblebee-Companion and Barricade-Companion rolled across the asphalt and gravel as their Handlers clashed above the Companions' heads. Bumblebee managed to get in a good punch to Barricade's head, but Barricade didn't go down at all. Instead the Decepticon pressed his attack, and lashed out his foot in a vicious kick. Bee-Companion and Bee-Handler took the hit, but then feinted in opposite directions. Using his superhuman strength and agility, Bumblebee-Companion clambered up a tank and then launched himself off the side.

His Companion slammed into Barricade-Companion with enough force to make the breath woosh out of the larger man. Cade-Companion staggered back, but recovered quickly to slam into his Handler's leg. The Handlers had engaged in another wrestling match, and the Companions grappled with each other now. Bumblebee-Handler slammed Cade-Handler into a tank while his Companion rolled Barricade-Companion into an exposed pipe.

Barricade roared in pain and lunged up with another cry of anger. Bumblebee was ready for the reaction and swung his arm to clothesline the Decepticon. Barricade went down hard, but he didn't let Bee keep the advantage. He lashed out with his left foot, catching Bumblebee-Handler in the shin and Bee-Companion in the knee. It was Bumblebee's turn to hit the ground, but he didn't let Cade keep the advantage either.

With a silent roar, Bumblebee rose from his knees to slam into Barricade's lower body. The Decepticon went down again after just getting up, but this time he hit his head on a pipe. He didn't rise again, and Bumblebee was sure that he probably had a concussion at the least. He was about to deliver a death blow when he remembered that Frenzy had run after Sam and Mikaela. He turned and sprinted into the factory, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

The man leaned down as if to kiss her, but he cried out in pain and rolled off of her. She looked up to see Sam standing over the robot, holding a large section of pipe. He was currently beating the hell out of the robot, and the man was screaming in sympathetic pain. The robot was screeching as well, and the sounds blended into a cacophony. Mikaela scuttled away from the man and ended up with her back against one of the tanks. She swallowed her tears, thanking God that Sam had somehow stopped the man from hurting her.

Sam hit the robot one last time, and silence reigned supreme. He realized that even the sounds of the other battle were gone. He turned to find himself facing the strange boy and the yellow robot. He took a step backwards, and then felt a soft hand on his arm. He looked over his shoulder to see Mikaela holding onto his arm. He wrapped her into a one-armed hug and squeezed her close to him as if to shelter her. Mikaela allowed the embrace, needing comfort after her near miss.

The robot and boy looked down at the prone pair on the ground. "_Nice shot._"

It took a moment to register that the yellow pair was talking to him. "Thanks. And . . . Thanks for taking care of that cop."

The boy and robot nodded, and then the robot knelt. Sam and Mikaela watched with awe as the robot _transformed_ into Sam's beat up Camaro. The boy gestured for them to get back in. "_We don't have much time._"

Sam gingerly got into the passenger seat first and then let Mikaela climb over him and sit partially on his leg, partially on the seat. He shut the door and then shifted around to get comfortable. "So, what the hell was all that?" he asked.

"'This means war . . . 'Get behind me Satan!'"

Sam was puzzled at first, but then the proverbial light bulb clicked. "Oh, so you're fighting with those guys and robots. And they're . . . evil?"

The boy nodded. Mikaela looked out at the open road before them. It was early evening, and the road was mostly clear. "Where are you taking us?"

"'Message from Star Fleet captain' . . . 'Rain down like visitors from heaven hallelujah!'"

Sam frowned. "So, you're an alien?"

The boy nodded. He repeated the sermon mentioning visitors from heaven. "And you have more friends coming? Is that where we're going?"

The boy smiled brightly as he nodded. Sam looked at Mikaela and tentatively smiled. Now that the terror was passing, he was noticing how close he was to her. "You okay?" he murmured.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for getting that guy off of me."

"No problem." An uncomfortable silence stretched in the vehicle.

Suddenly the seat reclined, sending Sam and Mikaela into prone positions. "_Rock-a-by baby._"

"So you want us to get some sleep?" Mikaela said lightly.

The lullaby played again. Mikaela and Sam stared at each other. "You okay if we sleep like this?" he asked as he spooned her.

"Yeah." she answered. Truthfully, it was kind of nice since Sam's body heat was keeping the shivers away. Mikaela owed him a lot, she thought. He had managed to keep her from being brutalized, and now he was keeping her from falling apart. She closed her eyes, and even though she thought that she wouldn't fall asleep, she slipped into unconsciousness easily.

Bumblebee glanced over at his passengers and sighed. He knew that Frenzy had followed them when they'd sprinted away, but he doubted that the Decepticon had had an opportunity to try his usual tricks with females. Mikaela's clothes were dirty and askew, but they didn't appear to have been taken off.

He relaxed his Companion's body. They were safe for the moment and Barricade probably wouldn't be a problem for a little while. He was still out cold when they had left the factory, so it was possible that the Decepticon might even die. Unlike some of the others, Bumblebee never had liked Barricade so it wasn't much to him if the bastard Decepticon died. Bee knew that Ironhide would be depressed since Barricade had once been a good friend to the weapons specialist. They had shared a love of busting heads and raising marsh-runners.

Bumblebee-Companion's lips quirked. Fortunately, Ironhide would have his shoulder to cry on.

* * *

Lennox surveyed the spent battle scene with a look of mingled horror and relief. Whatever the hell that thing was, it wasn't coming back any time soon. They had its tail to keep it away.

He glanced down at his wounded friend. Jorge Figueroa was not badly injured, but Lennox knew that his arm would be paining him for some time. The shrapnel from one of the blasts had caught his upper left arm, but it was now wrapped up well thanks to one of the villagers. Some stayed far away from the army men, blaming them for the destruction of their home, but some ventured forth and helped them out. Lennox didn't know if it was thanks for defending the people, or just kindness. He hoped it was a little bit of both.

He glanced back to the west, finally seeing the specks that would become Black Hawks in a few moments. He and his men would be flying towards home - and hopefully a hot meal and shower - soon.

Epps approached the look on his face not pleasant. "We found what's left of Jensen."

"Where is it?" Will asked, hoping now that he wasn't turning green.

Epps shook his head. "Part of an arm and a foot. Not much else. That scorpion thing made quick work of him."

Suddenly a thought popped into Will's head. What was the government going to tell Jensen's family?

"_Private Jensen died in the service of his country." the official would say._

"_How?" Jensen's mother would ask quietly._

"_He was eaten by a giant scorpion."_

Yeah, that would go over well.

Lennox turned away from his comrades so that they wouldn't see the hysterical mirth in his eyes. The captain knew that is was probably only the residual horror of the day that was getting to him, but it would still go over like a lead balloon if he burst into laughter and tears in front of his men. "Wild Bill" was made of sterner stuff than that.

"What are we going to do about his remains?" Fig asked.

Lennox turned back around, sure that the mirth was gone. "We can only direct someone to the spot. We've all bathed in enough blood for the time being." he murmured softly.

The assembled Rangers all bent their heads in silent agreement and a moment of silence for their fallen comrades. They'd lost four soldiers to the rapacious jaws of the scorpion monster. Scorponok could hear Lennox's words through the sand, and he wished that he were strong enough to go up there and really show the man what bathing in blood felt like. Unfortunately for him, he was too weak from the battle to move much farther than this spot only a few hundred feet from the bullet riddled sands where he had fought the humans. He knew that they would be screaming in terror if they knew exactly where he was.

Scorponok was right beneath Lennox's feet.

* * *

The astronomers finally noticed the anomaly when five unidentified objects began their ascent to Earth. All of the objects were small, but according to all the recording instruments, they weren't typical meteors. None of the scientists could figure out what they were, but before they could even begin to theorize, calls came from all over to bury the fact that these five objects were seen.

The five objects hit the Earth's atmosphere and their descent began. All five would land within a fifty mile radius of the small city of Tranquility, California. The first smashed into a warehouse in downtown, but no one witnessed the impact. If they had, they would have noticed that the meteorite _transformed. _

As the nearest humans rushed to the scene, they only witnessed the speedy retreat of one of the sleek, new H2 search and rescue vehicles. It wouldn't be until much later that the fire fighters would find one with the same license plate sitting in the same warehouse.


	5. Arrival to Earth

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Cybertronian - _How it is used. "Literal Translation"

_Nottia sparka - _Formal good night. "Eventide female child"

_Sparkayhi - _Paternal endearment. "Female child that I love"

_Sparkanhi - _Casual endearment. "Adult female that I love"

_Sparkaniza - _Romantic endearment. "Female that I love with all my heart"

* * *

**Chapter 004: Arrival to Earth**

Brittany Carson snapped awake. She usually slept like her parents, but tonight her excitement had made her sleep restless. The tooth fairy was due to arrive at any time!

But it wasn't a fae creature that had awakened her. She had heard a boom and felt a quake. Living in California she was used to earthquakes, but she decided to go investigate anyway. She hopped out of bed and grabbed her beloved pink My Little Pony plushie as she padded out of her room. She opened the doors out onto the pool patio and walked around to the far side.

As she did so, a figure rose up from out of the pool. She gasped at the giant man who was looking around the yard. He was dressed in black metal stuff, but Brittany wasn't really afraid of him. She could see his blue eyes, and they looked gentle. As a child she could see what adults often could not. She approached him. "'Scuse me, are you the tooth fairy?"

No sooner had she uttered this, than a giant metal thing stepped out from the pool. She took a step back, but the man smiled as the metal around his face receded a little. The man smiled gently at her, and the look in his eyes had grown amused. "No, I am not." he said quietly, his voice strangely accented.

Brittany nodded. "Then who are you?"

"My name is Ironhide." he answered. "Where is your . . . Bedroom? Should a little one like you not be asleep?"

Brittany pointed to a window not far from their spot. Ironhide picked her up and walked over to the window. He jimmied it open and then climbed into the small chamber. He then walked over to the bed and set her in it. He tucked her in and smiled down at her. "_Nottia Sparka._"

Brittany wrinkled her little nose. "What?"

Ironhide smiled. "Good night, baby."

Brittany smiled, and then slipped into sleep. Ironhide climbed back out the window and had only just walked around the side of the house when Brittany's parents burst into her room. "Brittany?!" her mother cried.

Her father noticed the open window. He leaned out and yelled in fury. "What happened to the pool!?"

* * *

Silas Jackson was an old, old man, and he'd been around Tranquility High since he'd graduated himself. Silas had honestly never aspired to be anything more than a janitor, but back in his day, that wasn't such a bad thing. He was a nice old man whose smile was still blindingly white compared to the chocolate color of his skin. His hands were gnarled and twisted with arthritis, but he enjoyed his work so he kept at it.

It was late, but he had volunteered to clean up after an evening event here at Tranquility High. Silas exited towards the dumpsters in the back of the school and caught sight of the principal's brand new car. Silas sniffed in disapproval. He disliked the current principal, and he disliked how the man spent his money. To Silas' mind there was something intrinsically wrong with a man who bought expensive suits and Pontiac Solstices on a principal's salary. Of course, the gossip was that the principal had a rich wife, so maybe that's how the man could feel alright with spending all that money.

Silas put this from his mind as he emptied out the trash can he was carrying. He knew that he should retire soon, but he loved working in the school far too much. He enjoyed the environment as Tranquility High was not a bad school. For a time Silas had also cleaned at another high school, and he had found the experience awful. The students had been nasty little bastards and the teachers all uppity twats. Here, the teachers smiled fondly at him and the students were always polite.

He suddenly felt the ground shake. Silas backed away from the school building, preparing himself for a quake, when he finally saw the minor explosion in the football stadium. Moving as fast as his old bones could, Silas sprinted for the stadium. When he reached the field, he was forced to stop in awe.

A giant, silver robot stood on the field. Beside it, a man looked around with a curious look on his face. He turned and spied Silas, and his face broke into a grin. "Hey man, can you give a brother a hand?"

Silas was not shocked by his Ebonic speech, but instead by the man's eyes and hair. They were the bluest eyes Silas had ever seen, and he knew for a fact that he'd never seen blue eyes on a black man. His hair was whiter than the alabaster jar that Silas had managed to give his wife for their twenty-ninth anniversary. "What are you?" Silas whispered, backing away.

The man put out his hands, as did the robot. Silas didn't know what to make of that. "Easy man. My name is Jazz. I just need a little help. Care to offer a hand? I promise I don't bite."

Silas stared at the robot a little before answering. "What exactly are you?" he repeated.

"I come from a planet called Cybertron. I'm here searching for a lost artifact. According to our intel, it's somewhere on this planet. I don't mean to scare you, but I've got to find it, and fast. But I need some help. Could you show me something that I can use to disguise my Handler here?" Jazz explained, gesturing to his robotic half.

Silas nodded and gulped. He was still scared, but his anxiety was beginning to ebb some. Jazz wasn't very threatening to him, and he could tell that this guy was okay. He spoke in Ebonics, and he didn't act very threatening. "What kind of disguise?"

"A vehicle of some kind would be best." Jazz answered.

Silas turned and pointed to the parking lot. "There's the principal's car."

Jazz strode out of the stadium with the human straggling along behind. Jazz knew that he'd given the old man quite a start, but it looked like the old bird was going to be okay. When they arrived at the parking lot, Jazz-Companion smiled. "This will be perfect." he murmured as he trans-scanned the car.

The human took a step back when Jazz-Handler transformed into his new alt mode. Jazz-Companion looked back at the man. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Silas." the man answered.

"Thanks for the help Silas." Jazz looked around and then walked over to the principal's car. He opened the door - Silas didn't know how since it was supposed to be locked - and reached into the dash. He pulled out a notepad and wrote something on it. He ripped out the page and handed it to Silas. "Here. You know how to work email?"

"My grandson taught me." Silas answered.

"Well then you can reach me at any time at this address. I don't forget when someone helps me. If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to email me."

Silas stared at the paper. "So you're staying here? I thought you were only here to look for something?"

Jazz-Companion glanced back at the human before he slid into his Handler. "We'll have to stay for a little while even if we find what we're looking for. Our original ship was sent into the heart of your sun in order to keep it from becoming a danger to either my faction or you humans. We'll have to wait for a pick up any way we slice it."

Silas nodded. "I'll email you if I need anything, Jazz."

Jazz-Companion smiled up at the human from his seat in his Handler. "And the Jazz Man will do anything you need him to. Later Silas." Jazz roared off into the night, leaving the bewildered janitor behind him.

"Later Jazz Man." Silas whispered to himself. When Silas had been a child growing up in the sixties, he'd always wondered what it would be like to walk on the moon or meet an alien. He'd never thought that he would, and he'd never thought that meeting an alien would be like talking to one of his nephews.

* * *

The being standing on the hill surveyed the world around him with curious eyes and optics. The world was a strange green, but he decided that perhaps it would appear more normal in the light of this planet's sun. He felt something nudge his legs. He laid a hand on the beast that stood by his side, stroking its head. "It's okay Roller. We aren't far from where we should be."

The telepathic answer was reassuring, but the lion-esque creature still growled low in his throat. His comrade echoed his displeasure. "I know Combatdeck. I know the two of you are nervous."

The two turned their leonine heads to him and gave him the Maximal equivalent of a smile. They sent their love over the connection. The being's organic half returned the smile and patted their heads. At that moment a vehicle finally roared down the deserted road. It was a Peterbilt semi making its way to some far off destination, but after a moment it was not alone.

On the hill overlooking the road now sat a gleaming red and blue Peterbilt with an attached flatbed trailer and a medium sized ATV. The organic being and the two leonine creatures climbed into the cab. The truck roared to life, and pulled out onto the road. The being inside the truck glanced at the green sign on the side of the road. "Tranquility - 10 miles."

The great creature called Roller yawned, showing wicked fangs. He sent a picture of food to his Chosen. The being smiled, showing his own large canines.

* * *

The female couldn't believe her eyes and optics. She had landed outside an arena with the words "Bike Show". There was a plethora of possible alternate modes for her to choose from, but one caught her eye. She slowly read what was on the placard. "Du-ca-ti. I like this."

She scanned the chosen vehicle and her Companion swung a leg over her Handler. "Now to find the others."

She turned out onto the main thoroughfare, and was quickly on her way. She sped through the city, homing in on Bumblebee's beacon. She hoped to see her friend soon. It had been lonely up on the _Ark_ without her sunny compadre to talk to. She really needed to vent about the comments that Ratchet had been making lately. One more snide remark about Optimus and she was going to really let her father have it.

Cybertronian families had different dynamics than human ones. Arcee would always love and respect Ratchet as her father, but she did not view him as being sacrosanct as some human cultures did. She would punch him if he deserved it just as she would any of her friends. And right now he was really starting to deserve a beating. She smoothly passed a slow moving truck only to realize who it was. :_ Good to see you Ironhide._:

:_Hello _sparkanhi. _Ready for a good time?_:

Arcee laughed, amused at Ironhide's ready command of Earth vernacular. :_Hold it there hot stuff. My sister will be very displeased if you should make a move on me._:

:_Aw Chromia won't mind. Neither would Bumblebee._:

:_I'm not turning your trine into a quartet Hide._:

:_Nah, we all know you're waiting for someone else._:

Arcee-Companion smiled sadly. That's what she loved about Ironhide; he was an intuitive mech underneath his machismo. He knew that she didn't like being teased for her love of Optimus Prime. :_You think he'll ever wake up and smell the roses?_:

:_Prime? Yeah, sooner or later he'll act._: Ironhide left it there. He held confidences for both Prime and Arcee, and he was not about to break either's trust. Prime would tell her in his own time.

Arcee felt someone else calling. :_Ratchet?_:

:_Here _sparkayhi_._: he replied. :_Has Jazz checked in?_: The medic appeared around a corner to fall in with his teammates.

:_I'm right here Ratch!_: Jazz chirped as he screeched around another corner. :_Hey Hide! 'Sup _sparkanhi!:

:_Hello Jazz._: she replied. She reached out, looking for the last of their landing party. :_Optimus? Are you out there?_:

His gravelly bass voice caused her Companion to shiver. :_I am here Arcee. I am making my way to Bumblebee's coordinates._:

:_Affirmative._: It figured that the one mech she wanted to call her _sparkaniza_ would be the only mech on the team to always refer to her by her name.

* * *

The boy gently shook Sam and Mikaela awake. The two teens woke to find themselves in the alley between two warehouses. Mikaela realized that she knew vaguely where they were. "Uh, this isn't a good section of town."

The boy nodded, but gestured for the two teens to get out. They did so, in time to hear the hum of a great engine. Mikaela's ears perked up. "It sounds like a big truck." she murmured.

Out of the mist loomed a boxy shape. Headlights cut through the fog, and a mere second later, Sam and Mikaela had their first look at the red and blue truck. They heard a short siren burst, and whirled around to see a black dually, a greenish-yellow ambulance, a silver sports car, and a purple motorcycle speeding towards them. Then they heard the sound of metal twisting.

Sam gasped as he watched the truck transforming. The hood slid back as a head slid from between the halves, and the robot stood up as his legs formed from the wheel area. A man and two cat-creatures leaped from out of the cab a moment before it split apart to land lithely on their feet. Sam could only gape at them.

The man was incredibly tall and wearing what looked like an Iron Man suit, except now that the robot was fully formed it looked like he was wearing the same armor as the robot. The two beings even shared the flame patterns on the legs and arms. The cat creatures resembled pure white lions. Both had shaggy manes that created a halo around their leonine faces. It wasn't until Sam stared at their feet that he realized that these were definitely not lions. Each paw was strange looking, but as he watched, one of the creatures lifted its right leg. The digits on the paw unfolded, and Sam realized that he was staring at a strange hand. The phalanges were stunted, and the middle joints had a pad on the back. He realized that these creatures walked on their hands like a gorilla. As one moved around to look back at the rocking ATV and flatbed, Sam realized that these creatures were equally apelike as they were catlike.

He heard the familiar sound of twisting metal and whirled around to find the rest of the vehicles transforming. The robots gathered in a circle around him and Mikaela, and the two found themselves the subject of twelve sets of incredibly blue eyes. Sam focused his attention on the man with the two, white lion-apes. The man and robot stepped forward, and the robot knelt down so that his head was level with the man's. "Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendent of Captain Archibald James Witwicky?"

Mikaela gaped. _The man and robot had spoken in tandem_. "Whoa."

"Um, yeah." Sam said, his voice cracking just a bit.

The robot straightened, with the man leaping up to stand on the robot's shoulder. "We are autonomous organo-robotic beings from the planet of Cybertron."

The lone female of the group stepped forward, bringing her diminutive robot with her. "But you can call us Autobots for short."

The leader nodded. "This is our team's science officer, Arcee."

The woman and robot nodded. "A pleasure." she said. Sam noticed that her voice was low and pleasant, not unlike Mikaela's.

"This is our team medic, Ratchet." the man and robot said, gesturing to the one ambulance robot and his driver.

The man sniffed. "I would advise you using precaution if I were you, young female. You are at peek fertility."

Mikaela blushed furiously. Sam tried to hold in a laugh. The man and robot shook their head and gestured to the large black robot and the man who was standing on its shoulder. "This is Ironhide, our Weapons Specialist."

The robot called up a cannon and the man drew a wicked looking crossbow. "Feelin' lucky punk?"

"Easy Hide." the man and robot said. He pointed to the silver robot and the black man. "This is my First Lieutenant, designation Jazz."

"'Sup lil bitches?"

Sam scowled. "Where'd he learn to talk like that?" It was Arcee who spoke. "We learned Earth's languages through the world wide web."

Sam snorted. The man and robot nodded to the boy and the yellow robot. "You have already met your guardian, Bumblebee."

"So his name is Bumblebee?"

"Yes," Ratchet stated. "Unfortunately, he no longer possesses vocal chords. His Companion's were destroyed in battle."

"Companion?" Mikaela asked.

"As you can see, we are really two part beings." the large man and robot began.

"The robotic half is known as the Handler, the organic the Companion." Arcee explained. "Together they form one being. Both my small, organic body and my slightly larger robotic one share my soul, my spark. The two are one."

Sam wrapped his mind around this. "So, you're saying that you are one being? But how does that work?"

"We are still not entirely sure ourselves." Jazz answered gently.

Mikaela pointed at the large man and robot. "Okay, so, who are you?"

The man smiled gently. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."


	6. Meet the Parents

**Chapter 005: Meet the Parents**

Ron Witwicky was not amused by his son's antics. One day the boy is out getting arrested and the next he disappears. _That cop might have something thinking that the boy is one drugs._ "The kid has fifteen minutes before I get him." Ron muttered.

Judy grinned. "You're going to do nothing to Sam." she replied. "You're such a big softie."

"I'm going to turn his head soft." Ron returned. "He's about to miss curfew on top of not telling us where he was going."

Judy giggled. The wine had mellowed her out after a hard day at work. "You worry warty. I think that's why I fell in love with you. "You're a big softie."

Ron blushed. "Yeah, yeah. I thought it was because of my -" He stopped when he heard the familiar roar of Sam's car. "There's the little stinker."

Judy shook her head as Ron levered himself up from the couch. He strode outside to the garage just as Sam burst from it. "Sam!"

His son stopped, a look of pure panic coming over his face. _He should be scared,_ Ron thought. "Where have you been young man?"

Sam went with his first instinct. "I was over at Miles'."

"I called Miles. He said that he hadn't heard from you all day after you prank called him this morning. He applauds you on your acting ability. Apparently you do scared spitless very well." Ron answered deadpan.

Sam was at a loss. His dad wouldn't take anymore excuses, and Sam was out of plausible lies. Now it was time to pull out the less plausible ones. He was about to tell his father that he'd been out meeting a girl when he spied Arcee sneaking around the corner of the house. Sam's eyes widened, and the boy didn't realize that he'd just given himself away.

Ron turned to see who his son was staring at, and then his brain stopped for a moment. "Sam, there is a woman and a . . . A robot in our backyard."

Arcee stopped, realizing that the human man had spotted her. Her Companion smiled widely and both Handler and Companion waved. "Hello. I, uh, come in peace?"

Ron's jaw dropped as the thought finally really sank in. "Sam . . ."

"Uh, meet one of my new friends Dad. This is Arcee. Arcee, Dad." Sam said with a smile not unlike Arcee's.

Ron pointed ar her. "New friends?! As in more than one?!" he cried.

Sam glanced at Arcee. "I think the jig is up."

After taking a moment to look up the reference, Arcee called to the others. :_Prime, Sam wishes us to come out. His father caught me._:

:_Next time we should leave the spyin' to Bee._: Jazz quipped.

:_Affirmative Arcee._:

Ron was still staring at Arcee when he felt the ground tremble underneath his feet. He glanced up to see five more robots looming over him. They were all larger than the first, and fiercer looking. Five men walked around the legs of the robots, and Ron felt the shock running deeper. All five of the men towered above him, and they all wore strange armor. Ron took a step back, and Sam finally recognized his father's terror.

"It's okay Dad." Sam said quietly. "They're won't hurt you."

Ron breathed deeply. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. They're okay."

Ron nodded and then looked back to the behemoths standing on his grass. "Um, welcome."

Sam shoo his head. "Dad, these are the Autobots. If you'll give me a sec -"

"Ron! Are you and Sam okay out there?"

Judy strode out of the back door before Sam and Ron could yell a warning. Her expression made it seem as if someone had just slapped her. In a sense she had been. "_What the hell_?"

"Mom I can explain -"

"Judy it's okay honey -"

She ignored both of them. "Get your foot out of my rosebushes!" she yelled at Optimus-Handler.

Sam was stunned speechless. Ron was wondering why he hadn't seen that coming. Mikaela had been standing in the shadow of Bee-Handler, and decided that Judy Witwicky was possibly the craziest woman she'd ever seen.

Optimus moved his foot and bowed to her. "My apologies . . . Or should I say my bad?" he said.

Sam stepped in. "Um, either works."

Optimus nodded. "Thanks."

Judy then looked over at Ron. "Honey, what did you put in the wine?"

"Judy, this is real. We have real giant robots in our backyard." Ron murmured.

"I still think you spiked the wine."

Sam sighed. "Mom, Dad and me aren't kidding or delusion. They're _real_."

Judy nodded, and walked up to one of them. Sam bit back the urge to tell her not to experiment on Ironhide. Sam had only known the man-bot-thing for a couple of hours, but Ironhide still struck him as a nasty guy to cross. Judy reached out and touched Ironhide-Companion's hand. "It feels real." she said.

"I am mistress." Ironhide said. "You're not dreaming."

Judy stepped back and then observed the strange assembly on her back lawn. There were six robots, six aliens/weirdos dressed in armor, her son, her husband, and an unfamiliar girl. She grasped at some straws of normality. "Sam, who's this?" she asked, gesturing at Mikaela.

"My name's Mikaela. I'm a friend from school." she answered.

"Oh Sam, she's pretty!"

"Mom, she _can_ hear you." Sam said. "Look, as I was saying to Dad, these are the Autobots."

"Hi, I'm Judy." his mother said to Ironhide. The wine might not have made her hallucinate the Autobots, but it had made her more mellow in general. "And, eh, you are?"

"Ironhide, mistress. I am the Weapons Specialist."

"Nice to meet you." she said. Then she glanced over at Ron.

"Ron Witwicky, hi how ya doin?" he muttered, still dazed at the event that was taking place on his back lawn.

Sam stepped up to stand beside his mother. "The guy standing next to Ironhide is Ratchet." Ratchet-Companion extended his hand. Judy took it, thinking that he was going to shake it, but instead he raised it to his heart. "A pleasure Mistress Judy."

She blushed like a school girl. One of the others stepped up and took her hand from Ratchet. "I am First Lieutenant Jazz."

"Oh!" she said. "It's nice to meet both of you too!"

Next, the woman stepped forward, but she approached Ron. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I am called Arcee."

"Yeah, you mentioned it." Ron replied. "But, it's nice to meet you."

Optimus stepped up next to Arcee. "I am Optimus Prime. I apologize for taking over your backyard and for frightening you."

"So, you the leader of these guys?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Optimus replied. "I am the leader of the Autobots."

Judy nodded and then looked back to the party that surrounded her. For some odd reason - but then again Judith Witwicky is the epitome of odd even without being slightly intoxicated - her inner hostess kicked in. "Why don't we all go inside? And can you put away your robots? They're a little noticeable."

The Autobots shared looks. Optimus nodded to Judy and gave her a smile. "Autobots, engage your disguise modes. Companions, armor down."

The Witwickys and Mikaela watched the six robots transform into their vehicle modes. Ron shook his head at the fact that his backyard had just become an auto show. All six vehicles were some of the best in their particular category, and all of them looked shiny and new. The sound of twisting metal subsided, and Sam realized that the Companions were no longer wearing their armor. It seemed that the stuff had retreated into packs on their backs.

Judy motioned everyone into the house and then led the strange procession into the Witwicky's living room. She glanced around at the couch, two armchairs, and the floor. "I'm sorry, let me get some chairs from the dining room."

Optimus-Companion held up his hand. "No need. Please, allow room for yourself and seat Arcee and Mikaela first. The rest of us can find our own place."

Judy was impressed by his politeness. "That is very sweet of you. Here, Arcee, Mikaela dear, you two can sit on the couch next to me. Ron, you and Optimus here can take the armchairs."

They did as she bid, and the four unaccounted for males found their own seats. Sam sat down on the arm of his Dad's chair. Bumblebee-Companion wrinkled his nose and then did the same on one arm of Optimus-Companion's chair. Jazz-Companion did the same, but Ratchet-Companion took a seat at Arcee-Companion's feet. Ironhide-Companion took up a position leaning against the wall. From his vantage point he could see both the front and back doors.

Judy smiled but did not take the extra seat on the couch. "Would any of you like something to drink? We have coffee, lemonade, or wine."

Optimus-Companion glanced at Bee-Companion. The younger man signed something and Optimus-Companion nodded. "No wine, but we can try the coffee and lemonade."

Judy nodded and then bustled into the kitchen. "Coming right up!"

Sam sighed and stared at the Companions. He was familiar with how Bee looked without his armor, but the other five were new. Arcee-Companion appeared to be a young woman, maybe in her early twenties if she were human. Her eyes were the electric blue that Sam had come to associate with the Companions very quickly, and her hair was a dull purple. It was caught up in braids that were pinned to her head in an intricate fashion. On her face she had white, triangular markings that swept over her cheekbones like wings and one thin line following the curve underneath each. Her skin was a creamy brown color, and was unblemished by acne or age. She sat on the couch as if she were more used to laying out on something rather than sitting up straight. Her arm was propped on the arm, and she was leaning on it. Sam noticed that combined with her cat-like eyes, that posture gave Arcee-Companion a rather feline vibe.

He switched his attention to Ratchet-Companion sitting at her feet. He appeared to be in his late forties, but he had aged well. His skin did not sag, and the lines of his face gave it great character. His skin was dark like Arcee-Companion's, but his skin tone was slightly darker than hers. His hair was a greenish-blond cut short and spiked around his head from where he had run a hand through it a moment before. Ratchet-Companion's facial tattoos consisted of red diamond-shaped markings radiating out from his eyes like sunbursts and a red pattern on his forehead that resembled a thick V. He leaned against Arcee-Companion's leg, and Sam wondered if there was a relationship there.

Next Sam switched his attention to Ironhide-Companion. Hide's skin was copper, and his high cheeks bones made Sam think of Native Americans. He also looked like he was older, but his face didn't hold as many lines as Ratchet's. Ironhide-Companion also had black tattoos on his face, all of them triangular like Arcee-Companion's, but his were not angled back like wings. His groomed beard ringed the two at the sides of his mouth, two more angled down from his eyes, and two triangles on his head angled up to almost look like devil horns over his eyes. His black hair was curly and a little longer than Ratchet's, but not as long as Jazz, Bee, or Prime's.

Jazz shifted and brought Sam's attention to him. Jazz-Companion was the darkest one of them, but his hair was pure white. It was gathered into a topknot not unlike the pictures Sam had seen of samurai, and he wondered how long it was. Jazz's face was short and square, and his markings were a bright blue. Unlike the others he had swirling, sideways S-shaped patterns adorning his cheeks along with two spikes running from his ears forward to his mouth. He leaned back against the back of the chair that Prime sat in, and he smiled at Sam.

Sam finally turned his eyes to the last member of the alien landing party. Optimus Prime-Companion sat tall, and he wasn't as relaxed as the others. Sam noticed that his eyes were continually glancing between the windows that looked out on the backyard and the ones that looked out to the front. Optimus-Companion's eyes had the same feline shape as the others' but what distracted Sam the most were the tiny swirls that flowed down his cheeks. They looked like smaller versions of Jazz-Companion's swirls, and they almost looked like tears. There was one at the corner of his right eye, and a strange glyph on his forehead. The "tears" were blue with the lone drop at his right eye being red, and the glyph was black. The skin underneath was a golden tone that made him seem to be of Middle-Eastern descent, but his hair was a deep wine red. For some odd reason Sam thought about a show he'd watched on Discovery about the pharaohs of Egypt. Strangely enough, Optimus-Companion currently reminded him of one.

"Here we go!" Judy chirped as she brought in a tray laden with glasses and coffee cups along with a pitcher of lemonade and a carafe of coffee. "Who would like lemonade?"

Bee raised his hand, and Mikaela and Sam grabbed glasses. Judy served up the lemonade and then passed out coffee cups to each of the others. She poured a the coffee. Ratchet was the first to try his. He made a face. "Is there anything to make it taste better?"

Sam pointed to the try. "Eh, the white liquid is creamer and the granules are sugar. Try a little until you've got it to taste."

Ratchet and Arcee both experimented until they had made the coffee to their liking. "This is pleasing, but I would like to try the lemonade." Ratchet said.

Arcee kept her coffee and sipped it slowly. "The taste is strange, but now sort of pleasant."

Jazz and Ironhide were content with their black coffee. Optimus waited until Arcee and Ratchet were done before adding some creamer and sugar. Once it was a little sweeter, he began to sip. Sam nearly laughed out loud when he saw the nearly blissful expression on Optimus-Companion's face. "Like it?"

"Immensely." Optimus-Companion answered. He took another sip before his expression grew serious. "Sam, do you know where the glasses are?"

"Yeah, let me go get them." Sam bounded up and out of the room.

Judy called after him, "Your book bag is in the kitchen.!"

"Thanks Mom!" He returned a moment later with the glasses. He handed them to Optimus-Companion.

Optimus looked them over and smiled. "These are it."

Judy leaned forward to look at them. "What's so important about those old things?"

"On the lenses are a map to a relic that we must recover." Arcee-Companion explained. "We must move quickly now."

Optimus looked back over to Judy and Ron. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Ron nodded. "Well, uh, you're welcome to stay for awhile. I mean, traveling across space has to be tiring."

"You have no idea." Jazz-Companion returned.

Optimus nodded. "We can stay for a little while, but we must move before the night is over. This is too important to put off."

That was when the doorbell began to ring obnoxiously.


	7. Sector Seven Arrives

**Chapter 006: Sector Seven Arrives **

The Autobots bristled, and Ironhide brought up his Companion's sidearm. In the Witwicky's backyard they began to transform, all except for Prime. "Autobots!" his cried. "Calm."

"But Prime . . ." Ironhide began.

"No, calm. Put away your weapon."

Ironhide-Companion obediently put away his sidearm. Optimus-Companion looked to Ron. "Go ahead." Ron nodded and then went to the door. He opened it to find a spindly, black clad man with a beak of a nose standing on the other side. "Is this the Witwicky resi-"

He turned back to the team of men standing by on the lawn. "We've got em!"

This time Optimus didn't say a word as the Autobots transformed and raised their weapons. The man in the doorway shoved past Ron, but stopped when he realized that he had several multicolored dots dancing on his chest. He looked up at the five aliens to see them aiming their side arms at him. The biggest one stood with his feet braced apart and his arms crossed. "I would be careful sir. Ironhide has an, what do you Earthlings call it? An itchy trigger finger?"

The Autobots hid their amusement from the humans. They could tell that Optimus was not feeling too threatened and had already figured out a peaceful solution for all of this. Otherwise, he'd be just as tense as they were.

The spindly man put up his hands. "Okay, okay, I think we can figure out a peaceful way out of this. Can you tell your . . . Men to put down their weapons?"

"After you." Optimus said, "And that applies to the men outside as well."

The man nodded and gestured to the men behind him. "Put away your weapons. Put em away!"

Once he was satisfied that the weapons were away, Optimus nodded to his comrades. They put away their weapons and he stepped forward. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."

The spindly man took a deep breath and strode forward. "Reginald Seymour Simmons, head field agent for Sector Seven."

"I assume since you ordered your men to attack us that you are interested in us?" Optimus inquired.

Simmons nodded. "We are ordered to take you in using any means necessary."

Optimus-Companion nodded. "I see. And these means would include deadly force I assume?"

"Yes." "Then we'll save you some trouble. We will go with you, but we go of our own free will. You will allow us our own mobility and treat us as guests, and we will promise in return to respect your laws. However, renege or try to treat us as prisoners, and we will retaliate using non-deadly force." Optimus stated.

Simmons turned away and pulled out a cell phone. He typed in a number and then had a whispered conversation. When he was finished he flipped the phone shut and nodded. "My superiors have agreed with your terms. We still have to take the Witwickys in with us."

Optimus turned to Ron. The human male just shrugged. "Okay. I don't know why you need us though . . ."

Simmons took slung an arm around Ron's shoulders. "Tests Mr. Witwicky! Need to make sure that you're not the worse for wear!"

The agents were polite to the Witwickys and Mikaela as they were loaded into two black SUVs. The Autobots drove out of the backyard, much to Ron's horror. "My grass!" he moaned.

* * *

Lennox growled low in his throat. "I don't like playing ping-pong." he quietly complained to Epps.

The tech sergeant nodded his agreement. "I didn't like getting new marching orders either Captain, but I can't say I blame em."

"Hey, Captain, look sharp!" Fig called softly.

Lennox turned, saw who was coming, and snapped to attention. "Mr. Secretary sir!"

"At ease gentlemen!" Secretary Keller said. "I understand you're the survivors of the base attack."

"Yes sir." Lennox answered.

"I'm glad you came through." Keller said before turning back to Banachek. "What's next?"

"If all of you will follow me." Banachek said as he led the way into the interior of the Hoover Dam. "I know you must be wondering why you're all here."

It did not escape Lennox's attention that the secretary had come with a small entourage. "The government hacks and the base attack." the young blonde woman said.

"Yes." Banachek answered. "But there is one more event that has been set in motion." He gestured to a tech on the way in. "Do you know how much longer until Simmons gets here?"

"ETA ten minutes sir."

"Simmons?" Keller inquired.

"We sent out Field Agent Simmons when we received odd reports. A group of UFOs and an unconfirmed ET sighting in a small city in California called Tranquility. Simmons reported in several hours ago indicating that he had hit pay dirt, as he termed it." Banachek explained.

"Pay dirt?" Keller prodded.

"Come this way."

The group followed Banachek down deeper into the bowels of the dam. "Over a century ago an explorer by the name of Captain Archibald Witwicky made the discovery that would start the modern age. He uncovered what he called the Ice Man."

The group entered a cavernous room, and many of them took an involuntary breath. Filling up one wall was an immense silver robot. "The hell?" Lennox whispered.

"Meet NBE 1." Banachek announced. "All of our modern technology was reverse-engineered from NBE 1."

"Mr. Banachek sir! Simmons is reporting in. He's here."

"Tell him we'll be there in a moment." he answered. "This way gentlemen, lady."

Once again Banachek led the group through the dam, but this time they entered a docking area. The first thing everyone noticed was the strange convoy consisting of several black SUVs, a yellow Camaro that had seen better days, a silver sport car that looked straight off the show room floor, a black dually, a yellow-green ambulance, a purple motorcycle, and a large semi. "What is all this?" Keller cried.

Simmons hopped out of one of the SUVs. "Sir, I told you, we hit pay dirt!"

Five more civilians left the SUVs, and Lennox glanced around. "So, what's the big deal?"

Simmons nodded to him. "Extraterrestrials soldier! Extraterrestrials!"

Lennox caught sight of someone leaving the semi. The man was clad in a strange suit, and what could have been armor. "Why is he riding in a semi?"

Simmons laughed. "He is the semi!"

Lennox was about to ask a very pithy question when the truck began to rock and twist. In moments, Lennox fully understood what Simmons meant. "He is the semi." Lennox murmured in awe.

Five men, one woman, and three cat-creatures strode forward ahead of the nine robots. The tallest one who had exited the semi nodded to them. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."

One of the others said something in a strange language that caused the others to snort and chuckle. Optimus Prime glanced at his men and said something in the same language that only caused them to laugh harder. He turned back to the humans. "I apologize, my First Lieutenant had a rather smart comment to make."

"May we ask what it was?" Keller asked. He wasn't happy that the aliens were being rude in front of him.

"First Lieutenant Jazz made the comment that I was saying that I was the leader of the Autobots a lot in the last few hours. I replied that I couldn't help that the knowledge didn't enter all of your minds the moment I walked into a room. It's a piece of our native humor." Optimus explained. "I apologize for the rudeness." He cast another look back at Jazz.

The First Lieutenant walked forward. "Yes, forgive my rudeness sir. I am the First Lieutenant Jazz."

The yellowish robot and man stepped up. "I am the Chief Medical Officer Ratchet."

The black robot and the man who stood on his foot moved forward. "I am the Weapons Specialist Ironhide." He gestured to the yellow robot and younger man beside him. "This is Bumblebee, our scout and spy."

The woman stepped forward. "I am Arcee, the Science Officer. These creatures," she said, gesturing to the three cats, "Are Roller, Combatdeck, and Spike. Do not be alarmed. They will not harm you."

To prove her point, one of the white lion-looking ones walked forward. Hesitantly, the blonde woman standing next to the Rangers reached down and petted its head. "Wow, the fur is so soft."

Arcee-Companion smiled. "Roller is especially fond of being petted by us ladies." She cast a glance back at Optimus, who was at that moment conversing with Keller. "Not too unlike his Chosen." she murmured low enough that only the blonde heard.

The woman laughed and smiled. "I'm Maggie Madsen."

"A pleasure mistress. Do you prefer Maggie or Ms. Madsen?"

"Maggie's fine."

Keller nodded to the Autobot leader. "Well then, on behalf of the United States of America, I welcome you."

"Our thanks." Optimus replied. He extended his right hand. "I believe this is how you humans do it?"

Keller smiled and took Optimus' hand. "It really is a pleasure to meet you."

Optimus nodded. "The pleasure is returned."

It was Ironhide who walked over to the group of soldiers and nodded to them. "You are soldiers are you not?"

Lennox nodded to him. "Yes, we are."

"Ah." Ironhide-Companion's face visibly lit up. "I had hoped. I am not fond of these agents."

Lennox glanced over at the still ecstatic Simmons and the brunette woman standing next to him. "I can't blame you, uh, Ironhide right?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"I'm Captain Lennox, and these are my men." Lennox answered gesturing to the men standing at his back.

Ironhide nodded. "Good to meet you. I understand that this country has specialized forces not unlike our own armies. What branch do you belong to?"

"We're Army Rangers." Epps answered.

A chuckle came from the Cybertronian. "No, not too unlike our own. I can tell that I will enjoy your company. I was once part of a corps not unlike your own."

The mini-conversations were cut short when Banachek cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, ladies, I think it's time to have a nice, long chat."

* * *

Barricade limped into the warehouse that was currently Decepticon headquarters with a look of utter disgust on his face. "Freaking going to kill the little runt the next time I see him." he muttered.

"What happened Cade? Wrong end of someone's fists?"

Barricade snapped his gaze to take in Blackout's smug look. "Bite me Blackout. At least I was defeated by a _Cybertronian_."

Blackout growled low in his throat and his engine revved. "I ought to kill you for that."

"Just try. I'm beat up, but I will take you out you little fragger." Cade returned.

"Barricade, Blackout, stand down!" a new voice screeched.

Barricade turned to face Starscream. "Yes sir." he grated out, his tone only just on the right side of polite.

Blackout refused to say a word. Starscream's engine revved up, but he did not comment on his subordinate's small mutiny. "We have more important things to do than to fight with one another. The target has been acquired and we must move."

Bonecrusher and Brawl both rose from their seats across the warehouse floor. "What is your command Starscream?" Brawl rumbled.

"Bonecrusher, I want you and Brawl to begin the trek to the Hoover Dam. Frenzy was able to trace the Autobots there. If that is where they went, then that is where we shall go." Starscream said. "Barricade, you and Blackout will stay here while I do some more recon."

"What?!" Blackout hissed. "We should be heading out with Bonecrusher and Brawl!"

"You will do as I command!" Starscream screeched.

Barricade said nothing, as he was used to Starscream's mechanizations. "As you wish . . . Sir."

Starscream gave him a narrowed gaze, well aware of the mockery behind the words of respect. "Good. Move out Bonecrusher, Brawl!"

The two lumbering Decepticons and their leader transformed and their Companions hopped into their respective cab and cockpits. Barricade and Blackout watched as their comrades left. Blackout rounded on Barricade. "We should be with them!"

Barricade snorted and shot exhaust. "You really are a fool do you know that? Look beyond your blind loyalty and think for a moment. Starscream has his reasons."

"Like I should listen to him."

Barricade rushed Blackout and slammed his Companion against a wall. "Listen up idiot! No matter how much you whine, Starscream is still commander here. Megatron is MIA or even dead, so stop moaning about him. Your blind loyalty is sickening really."

"Should I instead have your mercenary attitude?" Blackout snapped.

Barricade released him, and Blackout stumbled away from the wall. Truthfully, he had never been the same since an ill-fated fight with Starscream. The air commander had beat Blackout until near death, and the helicopter Decepticon had never truly recovered from it. Barricade had little to no pity to give anyone, especially Blackout, but he was mindful that the other was needed if they had any hope of triumphing over the Autobots.

"Listen up," Barricade snarled, "Starscream left us alone here because he wants us to be back up. He is hoping for the element of surprise and wants us to hold back as a final wave. That's why we're not heading out right this second. That's why we're waiting here. As it is, underneath, maybe he's hoping that I'll kill you."

Blackout bristled, but Barricade-Companion curled back his lips and hissed. "Do not dare me right now Blackout. You know very well your place in both the Decepticon corps and in the Defense Forces. You were a tech who hid behind others while we fought to protect your hide. Do not, _do not_ intimate that you can defeat me, one of the Elite Guard."

Blackout reluctantly backed down, and edged away from Barricade. He was still a strong mech for the fact that Barricade was right about him being more of a tech than a warrior before the war, but for a Companion to rely on the oldest mode of showing displeasure and the willingness to fight meant that the other Companion was about to be attacked brutally. Blackout thought he could come out the victor, but not if Barricade were this enraged. Unlike humans who lost effectiveness in a fight when their emotions took over, Cybertronians gained an edge. They were civilized on the surface thanks to their Handler's influence, but underneath it all they were still predators.


	8. Legends of Cybertron

_Author's Note:_

**Cybertronian **- "Literal Translation," Use

**Femyna** - "Female who created me," used like "Mother"

**Asiza** - "Cease and desist"

Also, even though he gets a mushy backstory, there will be _no_ redeeming Barricade. Just an FYI.

* * *

**Chapter 007: Legends of Cybertron**

The motley crew of Autobots and humans had adjourned to one of the dam's larger chambers. Some helpful scientists had pulled in chairs so that everyone - or at least all the humanoids - could sit. It was Keller that opened back up the conversation.

"So, why are you here?"

Optimus looked to the human. "We're here to find a relic that was lost long ago. We must find it before the Decepticons get their hands on it. If they do, it could spell the end for not just us Autobots, but you humans as well."

The group of Earthlings took this in. "What is this relic?" Epps asked.

"We call it the Allspark," Optimus explained. "In the beginning, our Companions were simple tribal people. We evolved not unlike you humans, but instead of apes as you know them we evolved from creatures closer to what you call cats."

Suddenly, a lot of his observations clicked in Sam's mind. "Holy shit," he breathed, totally oblivious to the fact that his mother was in the room. "Roller and Combatdeck."

Optimus-Companion smiled at him. "I see you noticed."

"Noticed what?" Mikaela asked.

Optimus nodded to his Maximals. "Show them Combatdeck."

The lion creature huffed and then got up. She paced into the center of the loose circle the occupants of the room had formed, and huffed again. Before the humans' amazed eyes, she stood on her back legs. Once completely upright, she was as tall as Optimus-Companion, and her posture was actually not that unlike a gorilla's. Combatdeck held out her front paws, and unfolded her digits. She walked forward slowly, and then touched Lennox's face. The Army Ranger stared at the strange hand that was cupping his face and playing with his hair.

"She likes you," Prime murmured.

Lennox reached up and touched Combatdeck's fur. It was silky to his callused fingers. "Well, I always did sort of like cats."

Prime-Companion smiled. "As Sam has obviously figured out, Roller and Combatdeck are our ancestors. We refer to them as savannah convoys, and Spike here is a marsh runner as well as a close cousin to the savannah convoys. To continue my story, before the Cube's arrival on Cybertron, there were only the Companions, and they were still in their tribal stage. The exact origins of our Handlers are a mystery, but it is commonly believed that the first Handlers touched down on Cybertron with the Cube. No one knows what happened after that, but somehow the Handlers and Companions bonded together creating a new species.

"Now we must recover the Cube before the Decepticons lay their hands on it. If they should gain control of the Allspark, I'm afraid more than just my Autobots' future is at stake. This planet would be a perfect target for Megatron's expansionist plans. Very few planets are ready made to support carbon-based-oxygen-consuming life forms such as you humans and our Companions. I'm afraid that even without the Allspark the Decepticons could conquer this world."

Keller looked pained. "You're telling me that even though all our technology is from the big lug in the other hangar, we can't do anything to stop the Decepticons?"

Lennox spoke up. "Sir, I've seen what these guys can do. Sure, we can put up a damn good fight, but even using the heaviest firepower we had all we managed to do was run the demon scorpion off. An invasion force would wipe the floor with us if we didn't have help." He looked toward the Autobots.

However, they had stopped paying attention to the humans after Keller's comment. "Secretary Keller, you made mention of a 'big lug' in the other hangar? What did you mean by that?" Optimus asked slowly.

Banachek spoke up. "Actually, I guess now would be the perfect time to ask you about him. Please, just you Optimus."

Optimus nodded and stood. The Autobots and humans watched him trail after the leader of Sector Seven. "If I may ask, why just me?"

"I admit that I haven't been around you long, but you seem to be the least likely one to attack if it turns out that our . . . Guest is not a friendly."

Optimus understood this a few minutes later when he entered the hangar in question. He froze in the doorway. "Primus be merciful."

Banachek watched his Companion's face and felt a touch of curiosity. "Who is he?" "The leader of the Decepticons. Megatron," Optimus breathed. Banachek swallowed when he watched Optimus-Companion's lips curl back in a bloodcurdling snarl. Vicious canines that reminded Banachek of a large mammalian predator shined white in the fluorescent lighting of the hangar.

"I take it that there is some bad blood between you," he murmured.

"You could say that," Optimus rumbled in consent. "He was the one who started this war."

Banachek nodded. "We've had him here for years. He was discovered in the Arctic,"

"I knew that," Optimus said, "I know that Sam's ancestor found him. I just did not know that you had him here. The plan was to go to the Arctic after we had taken care of the Allspark and destroy him. The only way to end this war is to take out two of the factors driving it - Megatron and the Allspark."

"How would you take out the Allspark?" Banachek inquired.

"By uniting it with the Spark in my chest," Optimus murmured, touching his breast. "Either it will destroy us both or we will fuse together to create a new being."

"You don't sound too sure about the second option."

"The Allspark is probably too powerful to fuse. Its power would overwhelm."

Banachek was silent for a moment. "You would die for your men? For all the humans who are in danger too?"

Optimus turned and his Handler knelt down to stare Banachek in the eye. "Megatron stands for tyranny in every form. He would force you into slavery believing that you are lesser than he, and he would enjoy using your planet as a jumping off point to further his galactic conquest. I cannot let that happen. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

Though he betrayed no emotion, Banachek was moved by Optimus' speech. "We will do what we can you to help you. It's the least we can do if you are willing to sacrifice it all for us. But we'll find a way to destroy the Allspark without killing you."

Optimus-Companion smiled at him, and Banachek got the feeling that the alien was merely humoring him.

* * *

Dr. Marissa Faireborn studied the female Autobot with a great deal of curiosity. The female Autobot caught her staring, and waved. "Yes?"

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry," Marissa murmured. "I was just studying your facial markings."

Arcee touched her Companion's cheek. "I see. My name is Arcee."

"Dr. Marissa Faireborn," she returned. She got up and walked over to stand beside Arcee-Handler. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Do these markings mean anything?" Marissa asked.

Arcee didn't answer for a moment before gesturing for Marissa to sit on her Handler's leg. Gingerly Marissa seated herself, but discovered that the Handler's metal was nice and warm. "Our markings mean different things, yes, but sometimes the real meanings are known only to the one wearing them."

She pointed to her cheek. "My cheek markings are called wings. In general wings indicate that the wearer is an intellectual. My personal meaning is that they show that I am a member of the Science division." She pointed at Ironhide. "Ironhide's markings are called fangs. Fangs are indicative of a warrior Spark. Jazz's markings are called swirls and are usually worn by dancers and musicians. Ratchet has a chevron on his forehead and what is called a starburst pattern around his eyes. Chevrons are indicative of an intellectual, but unlike wings they mean an intellectual who deals with science while wings are more for those who deal with general subjects such as philosophy and history. Starburst patterns are worn by trained medics, and when you see a Companion that has a starburst pattern, it means that that person is a highly trained medic."

"Sort of like the title 'Doctor'," Marissa said.

"Yes. Bumblebee has color stripes. All Cybertronians have colors that we wear that are sort of like our signature. Sometimes a Companion chooses to wear simply their colors instead of a combination of color and marking. The combination of our name, colors, and markings comprises each individual's unique signature," Arcee explained.

"Wow," Marissa breathed. "What about Optimus Prime? What are his markings called?"

"Tears," Arcee answered. "Typically a Cybertronian only has a couple tears on his or her face to indicate the loss of a loved one, but for some reason Optimus has somewhere around eighty."

Marissa was puzzled. "Eighty? Did he lose his entire extended family?"

It was Ratchet who answered. "We don't know."

His voice had quieted the others. Since Optimus had left there had been several conversations going on around the room, but now they stopped after hearing Marissa's loud question and Ratchet's oppositely soft answer. "Ratchet is correct. We don't know why Optimus has his markings," Arcee continued.

"Optimus was an orphan. When he was found, his foster parents brought him to me," Ratchet said. "He couldn't remember anything before the day he stumbled across another young orphan. The two of them managed to find a home with an old friend of mine, and he brought Optimus to me when it became apparent that the child didn't speak. I believe that he witnessed something horrific enough to cause his mind to block the memories."

"There's been a lot of speculation among the ranks about it," Jazz piped up, "Especially after the war started. Before, it was mere curiosity about the Science Commander that fueled the talk, but after, well, it became a sort of mystery. Some mechs believe that Optimus is just a regular mech who felt the need to speak up for what he believed in, some believe that he's a noble son who ran away from his family, and still others believe in the legend that _Ratchet_ started."

Ratchet looked sheepish, and Marissa began to realize that the Handlers were far more expressive than she first thought. "Right before the war started, the Science Division made an amazing discovery. We found artifacts that possibly belonged to the Dynasty of Primes. There was a reoccurring marking that matched the glyph that appears on Optimus-Companion's forehead and Optimus-Handler's head. I theorized that it meant that Optimus might be connected the Dynasty. I even went as far as to begin to refer to him as Optimus Prime."

"And thus Optimus moved into the realm of myth and legend," Ironhide snickered. Bumblebee shook with silent laughter.

Ratchet threw up his arms. "How was I to know that some people would take it all out of proportions?! I'm not the one who told them that Optimus was the messiah for Primacon's sake!"

"No, you just hinted at it," Jazz returned with mischievous glee.

"I gain the feeling that I would rather not know why you're discussing me and my position in Cybertronian folklore," came a rueful voice from the doorway.

The group turned to see Optimus striding back into the room. "It wasn't anything that bad Optimus," Jazz began.

"Ratchet was just explaining to this little lady," Ironhide said with a gesture at Marissa, "About why we don't know anything about your facial markings. The lady expressed interest in our marks."

"I see," Optimus said as he seated himself again. "We have other problems however, that must take our attention."

The Autobots instantly went alert. The humans watched in awe as the five previously relaxed individuals suddenly looked like they were ready to battle. "What's up Optimus?" Jazz asked.

"Megatron is here in cryostasis."

That short sentence caused an extreme reaction in the Maximals. Roller roared in fury while Combatdeck hissed and shot to her feet to stand with her mate. Spike leapt up as if to go running back the way Optimus had come.

"Spike! _Asiza_," Optimus called in a firm tone.

The marsh runner reluctantly skidded to a halt. He turned his head towards his Chosen and growled. Bumblebee-Companion stood up stony-faced and made a gesture. The runner reluctantly headed back towards him.

"Spike," Optimus called gently.

The runner looked up, a comically disgruntled expression on his face. "I know you wish retribution for what Megatron did to your Chosen, but we cannot afford vengeance right now. We have bigger problems." Optimus looked back at his men. "The Cube is here."

"What?" Ratchet breathed.

"The humans have been studying it for the last century. I've convinced Banachek to allow us to move it to a safer place in the interests of both our peoples. The Decepticons are most likely already on our trail, especially after the rather inelegant way we arrived. Banachek just got in a report that several news stations have run stories about mysterious meteoric impacts in California."

No one needed to be told twice what that could mean.

* * *

Barricade stared at the starry night sky. His Companion's lips curled into a snarl. He hated the humans for their weaknesses and their pathetic grasp of the universe. However, he admitted that he did not hate the planet they inhabited.

Barricade was not a gentle mech by any stretch of the word, but he did appreciate beauty enough to not want to destroy it. He found a calm solace in the greenery of this planet, greenery that Cybertron had long ago lost. He was jealous of the Earthlings, and his hate was compounded by a searing anger that they were following in his own people's footsteps. Idiots every freakin' one of them.

He gazed out at the horizon seeing another time, another place. He was not sentimental, but he did remember it as the past that had shaped him into what he was now.

* * *

_**Tagon Highlands - Golden Age of Cybertron, Cycle 2248**_

"_Time to come in Barricade! Pitstop!"_

_The two sparklings looked up at the sound of their names. "Yes Femyna!" cried the elder. His Companion's white hair stuck up at odd angles as his Handler got to his feet. _

_The younger mech brushed away dirt and tried to get out a grass stain on his Companion's leg. "Pitstop, you didn't have to hit me so hard."_

"_Suck it up Barricade! Be a mech," the elder mocked gently. _

_It was then that they heard the strange sound. "Pitstop, what's that?" Barricade asked._

_Pitstop looked like he felt. Edgy. "Let's get back to the house. Now."_

_The two sparklings transformed and in moments arrived at their home. The entire way back, Barricade felt a great deal of anxiety. His elder brother was afraid. The metallic tang of fear had assaulted his sensitive nostrils, and started his own skin into producing the same scent. Barricade learned as soon as he spied their home, their entire village, that his reaction was justified._

_They'd arrived home just in time for the bloodbath._

* * *

Barricade remembered in vivid detail the events of the Tagon Massacre as it had come to be called. The rogue band of Cybertronians had never been identified, but rumors said they'd been thugs who were loyal to Megatron's mysterious guru. No one knew anything about the mech who was supposed to be behind it all, but Barricade knew one thing.

If the mech was the one who commanded the thugs who had attacked his village, he would rip him to shreds.

The death of everyone he held dear had been the first step in his evolution. Barricade was a hardened warrior with his own code of honor, albeit a severely crooked one. He'd learned that getting close was a mistake and that the only sure way to keep him from ever feeling pain was to make sure that he never left himself open to it. No attachments, emotional or otherwise.

:_Barricade_.:

:_Yes Starscream?_:

:_You and Blackout get moving. The Autobots have left the dam. Frenzy can't get a fix on them, but according to him, they headed west._:

Barricade revved his engine. :_We are in pursuit._:


	9. Claims

_Additional Disclaimer: _The poem "Fire and Ice" was written by Robert Frost.

**Chapter 008: Claims**

Lennox strode down the line of vehicles with a great sense of purpose. Everything had been planned out, and now all that was left was to get on the road. Sam Witwicky, his girlfriend, and the Cybertronian known as Bumblebee would head one direction with a military escort along with the Cybertronians Jazz and Ironhide. The military team going with them would be commanded by Epps.

He, however, was going to lead the second group of military, and along with Arcee, Optimus Prime, and Ratchet would be heading the other way. The Allspark would be going with one of the teams and the other would have a decoy. Prime banked on the idea that the Decepticons would think that he had it and that the boy was being escorted to safety. That was why Lennox held a decoy Allspark under his arm.

Sam had the real thing.

Lennox was just ruminating again on the possibility that this plan of action was not a good one when a flash of yellow and movement drew his eye to the gap between Ironhide-Handler and Bumblebee-Handler. The sight that met his eyes temporarily threw him for a loop.

Bumblebee-Companion was standing in Ironhide-Companion's arms, his face buried in the older man's shoulder. Bee-Companion's hands were clutching Ironhide-Companion's biceps, and everything about their body language screamed intimacy - and tenderness.

Lennox averted his gaze and started walking, wishing to give them a little bit of privacy. As he made his way towards Optimus-Handler, he realized that someone was watching him. He looked up to find Optimus-Companion regarding him with a curious look. He had the feeling that Prime knew what he'd seen, and was observing his reaction. When he reached the alien man, he waited for the question that he knew was coming even though Lennox wasn't entirely sure what that question would be.

Optimus was silent a moment before he spoke. "I understand that homosexual relationships have mixed receptions in your society," he began slowly, "But you seem to be taking what you just saw well."

Lennox glanced over his shoulder at the black truck and yellow car. The two Companions were silently watching him. "Look, I'm more of a live and let live kinda guy. They way I see it, they aren't hurting anyone with what they're doing, so they can go ahead and do it. It's not my place to judge."

Optimus was silent again, and Lennox decided that some humor may be called for. "And anyway, they make a cute couple."

Optimus-Companion answered with a smile. "We're put at ease then. We had all hoped you would be receptive to the fact that our culture is significantly different from yours when it comes to things such as intimate relationships."

Lennox realized after a moment that Optimus wasn't talking about his two halves, even though that was Lennox's first befuddled thought. Optimus was talking about at the very least himself, Ironhide, and Bumblebee, but something in his tone made Lennox think he meant the entire Autobot team. When Lennox glanced over his shoulder, he realized that Ratchet, Arcee, and Jazz were also watching his conversation with Optimus. "It's nothing," Lennox answered.

"When you're a stranger in a strange land, friends are more precious than quartz," Optimus returned. His Companion turned and got into the cab of Optimus-Handler.

Lennox followed suit, and settled into the passenger seat as he stored the decoy cube in the back bench. He turned back to Optimus-Companion as the truck roared to life. The two men in the cab were silent as they pulled out of the hanger and then out onto the open road. Lennox glanced out the window at the speeding motorcycle positioned nearly underneath his window. Arcee rode with confidence and a natural grace that Lennox admired.

"Arcee is a pretty damn good rider," he said, trying to make conversation. It looked like it was going to be a long ride. "It has to be a little disorienting to be both machine and rider."

"She is, and we're used to it," Optimus replied. "No matter if we're walking or rolling, we are usually our own form of transportation."

"Okay," Lennox said. "Out of curiosity, is there anything going on between you and the little lady down there?"

"No, I do not share any feelings with Arcee. Why do you ask?"

"Just the way she acts around you," Lennox said. "And the way she talks about you. She gets this sparkle in her eye, and I recognize it. It's the sparkle my wife gets when she's talking about me or my daughter."

Optimus was silent for a moment. "You have a mate and child?"

"Yeah," Lennox pulled a photo from his pocket. He handed it to Optimus-Companion, and tried not to feel panic when he realized that his driver's attention was completely on the picture, not the road.

Optimus-Companion examined the flimsy piece of paper, and gently touched the faces of the woman and baby. "They are both beautiful."

Lennox nodded. "Yeah, they're my ladies. You want children of your own Prime?"

Optimus-Companion smiled. "I would love to have offspring, but I cannot risk their lives until this war is over. Any children of mine - and their mother for that matter - would be easy targets."

Lennox cocked an eyebrow. "Somehow I don't think so. Granted I haven't known you long, but you seem to be the kind of guy who'd go through hell and back to keep your baby safe. And I bet if you got together with a lady like Arcee your mate would be right there with you."

"You could be correct," Optimus conceded, "But I will still not risk my children's lives. There will be time after the war ends."

"How do you know you'll see the end of it? You admitted that it's been at a stalemate for thousands of years."

"All things must end Captain Lennox," Optimus said. "And I promised my men that I would see the end of the war with them. I do not break my promises."

Lennox nodded. "I believe you. And I'll do my damnedest to help you kick the Decepticons' cans to ends of the universe."

"Thank you," Optimus said with a grin.

"No problem," Lennox replied. "You're one of the good guys. You deserve to be able to sit back and have a herd of kids with a sweet woman like Arcee."

Optimus threw him a look. "You continually harp on Arcee. I wonder why."

Lennox grinned. "Because Optimus, you lie like hell."

"How is it a lie when I have not said that I feel anything other than casual affection for her?" Optimus shot back.

"It's a lie by omission," Lennox retorted. He settled deeper in the seat with a grin. "The two of you are crazy for each other."

* * *

Sam sat tensely in the passenger seat, wondering what the hell they were going to do if the plan failed. He glanced out his window at Jazz riding along beside him. He and Epps appeared to be talking about something, and the two were smiling and not looking very tense at all.

"Sam, you're not doing any good freaking out," Mikaela said.

He turned to look her in the eye. She was still dirty, disheveled, and generally looked like she'd just spent the night running from evil alien robots. "It's just . . . Two days ago my biggest problem was figuring out how to impress a girl like you. Now, my biggest problem is saving the world. I just can't seem to . . . Deal with it all."

She smiled gently and placed a hand on his arm. "I know. I'm having some trouble with that too."

Bumblebee-Companion glanced over, and he gestured at Sam. The boy looked up and met Bee's eyes. "_We're all in this together_," the radio murmured.

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I guess we are."

The two human teens stared out the windows at their escort of armored vehicles, the black truck, and the silver sports car. "Our lives are never going to be the same aren't they?" Mikaela finally asked with a quiet voice. "We're always going to be looking over our shoulders for another Decepticon."

Bumblebee-Companion's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "_Well! Not if I have anything to say about it!_" a woman's voice snapped over the radio.

Sam smiled. "No, we're never going to have normal lives again, but we're not going to let the Decepticons win."

Bumblebee smiled inwardly at that. Sam had some grit in him, Bee would give him that. He glanced over at Jazz while he relayed a digital message to both of his fellow Autobots. :_The boy is courageous. He may just survive this and become stronger._:

:_I hope so Bee. I hope so. He's so young . . . Just a baby,_: Jazz replied.

:_An infant by our standards, yeah,_: Ironhide added. :_But by Earth time he's almost a man. Judging by the way he eyes the young femme, he's not a baby in his mind either._:

Bumblebee-Companion had to hide his grin. :_They do make a cute little couple don't they?_:

:_Almost as cute as you and Hide there Bee._: Jazz's laughter was vocalized rather than digital.

:_Well let's hope he takes a page from Hide's book and goes after her quickly,_: Bumblebee said. :_She's beautiful enough to attract attention from other males. She's likely to be snapped up quickly once this is over if he has not tried to stake a claim._:

* * *

Maggie was in a state of sheer panic. The plan was starting to go to pieces, and there was nothing she could do. An EMP burst had rendered all communications to the outside world useless, and outside help was what they needed most. The power was failing to the research facility in the Dam, and she could already see the man in the pod stirring to life.

Megatron, leader of the Decepticons and all around harbinger of doom was waking up.

She tried to shrink into the crawl space underneath the desk more, but the thing was nearly useless for even a hiding place. Moments before, gigantic explosions had rocked the surface of the Dam, also causing internal damage. Maggie had been the unfortunate soul trapped in the hangar that housed Megatron when the first concrete had come raining down from the ceiling. However, she was still the lucky one. Tom Banachek had been right in front of her, and she'd watched as he'd been buried in the rubble.

A splintering crash caused her to curl into a tight ball. Oh God, Megatron was awake. She could hear his rumbling snarl and his curses as he tried to get his body to cooperate with his commands. Maggie prayed for God's protection as she listened to what she was sure was the sound of her doom. In her deep prayer, she didn't process the sound of his approach.

"What is this?" a deep voice asked. The menace inherent in his tone made her shiver in fright. Strong hands lifted her from the floor, and she found herself cradled in his arms. Dispassionate red eyes studied her.

Megatron regarded this strange Companion with an air of curiosity. So this was what this retched mudball's inhabitants looked like. Aesthetically pleasing, but lacking in the beauty of a Cybertronian femme. Her eyes did not have the provocative slant and her clenched teeth looked pathetic without a Cybertronian's strong canines to provide character. He even kissed her to see if she tasted any good.

Maggie was reeling from the quick kiss when he finally said something else. "Passing. Perhaps I will allow human females to live. Not as pleasing as a Cybertronian femme, but good enough. By Unicron's maw, I'd probably prefer you to Starscream."

She was at once infuriated and afraid. His muttered sentiments were at once sinister and insulting. Passing? She was a damned good kisser! Both of her last two boyfriends had had no complaints on that score! However, she was old enough to recognize prudence before pride. She kept her mouth shut to avoid pissing him off and forcing his hand.

Megatron observed her emotions with a certain amusement. She would be an entertaining pet. His Companion gently set her on her feet while retaining one of her hands. She gave him a puzzled look when he smiled at her. He decided that a little marking of his territory was in order.

God he looked like a shark. Maggie was rightly terrified. She watched helplessly as he bit his lip, and she gasped when blood ran down his chin. He lifted her hand to his mouth, and in a parody of a courtly gesture, he bit the knuckle of her middle finger. She choked in pain and horror as his blood mingled with hers. He kept her knuckle in his mouth for a moment, and then he licked it clean. To Maggie's further horror, her small wound closed over rapidly.

"What did you do?" she breathed.

He smiled at her. "I made you mine. Stay here and you will be safe. I have already informed my rash second that he is to cease fire on the Dam. I will return for you once the battle is over." He caressed her cheek with a deceptive gentleness. "Be safe little one."

Maggie watched in numb horror as his Handler blasted away the wall of rubble blocking the entrance of the hangar, but not before he knelt and his menacing claws lightly stroked her entire body. She slowly sat on the ground as she watched him walking away.

Sluggishly her mind returned as she replayed his awakening. Megatron-Handler had been an ugly, evil looking robot of towering silver. His very face looked like something out of a nightmare. His Companion had been coldly handsome with golden skin, a wide, sensual mouth, and hard, crimson eyes. Long black hair had been pulled from his face and formed a topknot secured by a silver band. He had handled her gently, almost gallantly, but Maggie had felt the coldness that seemed to radiate from his very core.

In contrast she remembered the flames painted all over Optimus Prime's chassis, and the warmth that had seemed to shine from his inner strength. Optimus was a creature of light, of life, of fire. Megatron was a monster of darkness. Death. Ice.

_Some say the world will end in fire . . . Some say in ice . . ._

As silent tears streaked her face and she cradled her scarred hand to her chest, Maggie wondered if Frost had seen the coming of this war before anyone else. If anything, his poem seemed appropriate.


	10. Nanomites

_**Author's Note**: So I know it's been a long time since I last updated this, but reposting Men Within the Machines managed to kick my block with regards to this story. __I'll be honest, the next update may still be a long time in coming, but I will try to not let it be two years in coming. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 009: Nanomites **

Lennox and Optimus were chatting amicably about the differences between human and Cybertronian courtship when both of them received the call. "Boys, this is Agent Simmons. Megatron has left the Dam. SecDef says to keep the plan, but he won't be able to send back up for a while. He had to send us out to find phones that work. The jet guy fried our communications,"

"Damn Starscream," Optimus muttered.

"What's more, we've suffered some casualties. Tom Banachek was killed when the attack on the Dam began. And Optimus Prime, sir?"

"Yes?"

"Megatron did something to Maggie Madsen, the computer tech SecDef brought with him."

Optimus felt his internal fluids freeze. "What?"

"He bit her after biting open his lip. She's still a little shocky, but otherwise she says he didn't assault her. What's more, the bite? It closed up instantly according to her. What the heck did he do?" Simmons sounded subdued.

Optimus swore quite colorfully, and after exhausting his Cybertronian stock he switched to curses in several languages - not all of them Terran in origin. "_Gods damned sonofabitch!_" he ended.

Lennox blinked in utter surprise at the viciousness of Optimus's reaction, and on the other end of the hijacked cell phone signal, Simmons raised an eyebrow in unwilling admiration. Both men had been party to some colorful cursing streaks, but Prime just took the prize for most eloquent string of profanities ever. "I take it it's something bad," Simmons quipped.

"He marked her as his," Optimus growled. "He mingled his blood with hers. In our Companions' blood are microscopic nanomites that repair our bodies and defend them from infection. Each of us has our own unique nanomites, but we can transfer them to others not unlike a blood transfusion. In the field, that's often what we do. But, when you receive nanomites, unlike blood, the nanos you receive can replicate. Usually, your native nanomites can assimilate the new ones, and the foreign nanos reprogram to match the ones already present in the body.

"In this case, Megatron marked Ms. Madsen. Since there are no nanomites to keep his in check and reprogram them, they take over her body. He has formed a connection with her because he can use the nanomites to track her." Optimus fell into an angry silence. "It's been done to other sentient species. It's akin in our culture to putting a collar on a dog. Or a toy." His tone left no question of what he meant by that.

Simmons cleared his throat. "She also said that he kissed her. Do you think this means he's going to use her as a . . . toy?"

"Yes," Optimus said.

"Is there any way to get rid of the nanomites?" Lennox asked.

"Possibly. I'll tell Ratchet to return to the Dam and see what he can do." Optimus glanced over at the hummer ambulance. "But I'm not sure it won't mean transfusing more nanos in."

"What do you mean by that?!" Simmons snarled in outrage. "That we have to let her be collared by one of you instead?"

Optimus-Companion gritted his teeth. "No. Ratchet should have blank nanomites. I only worry about what they could do to the human body. Very few of the other sentient races were able to live for very long with the nanomites. While they elongate our Companion-bodies' lives they also draw a heavy toll. It's why we have to consume enormous numbers of calories and our body weights in food every two days."

Lennox grimaced. "Dayum," he muttered under his breath.

On the other end Simmons nodded. "I think it's a chance we're just going to have to take."

Optimus sighed. "I'll send out the order."

* * *

Sam was exiting the men's restroom of a rest stop when he nearly ran into Bumblebee-Companion. The alien man looked highly agitated. He grabbed Sam's elbow and pulled him back towards the waiting caravan vehicles. "What's wrong?" Sam cried.

Epps jogged up to him. "We've got to go! The Dam's been bombed. We've got to get ourselves into a city and hole up until we've got a new plan."

"Right," Sam said as he began to jog back to the waiting Camero. Bee-Handler revved his engine as Sam slid into the front passenger seat. Mikaela – fetched from the women's room by Ironhide-Companion – slid into the passenger seat of the black truck. Sam felt a moment's twinge of regret that she wasn't going to ride with him and Bee, but he turned his attention to the road. Right now there were more important things to worry about.

In the cab of said truck, Mikaela smiled a bit at Hide. "Thanks for letting me ride with you," she fastened her seatbelt as she felt the truck reverse and then turn to leave the rest area.

"Pretty females are always welcome company," Ironhide said solemnly. "You remind me a bit of my female mate."  
Mikaela blinked. "I thought that Bumblebee was your mate."

"He is. I have two mates, one male and one female," he explained.

She nodded deciding to leave that particular confusion be for the time being. "Where are we going?"

"I am not sure," he answered. "We just need a large urban area in order to hide."

"The nearest place I can think of is Las Vegas."

Ironhide-Companion cocked a brow. "This 'Las Vegas' is very large isn't it? With a transient population?"

"Yes," she said shyly.

* * *

Night fall had never seemed so welcome to Maggie. She stared at the open sky as Ratchet-Companion poked another needle beneath her skin. She winced and then looked down at the vial of silvery stuff held by his lean, dark hands. Maggie had never really thought about the attractiveness of a man's hands before, but for some really odd reason Ratchet's struck her as being quite nice. "So, what will happen now?" she asked quietly.

Ratchet-Companion looked up into her eyes. "These nanomites will hopefully wipe his from your system. However, I'm afraid we can't be one hundred percent sure. As it is, I'm going to have to stick close to you for a while."

Maggie nodded. "To make sure that I don't die."

Ratchet had been very forthright about what fate could await her. He'd explained about the slow and painful death wrought by the nanomites on biological bodies that were not equipped to deal with them. It wasn't a fate that Maggie particularly looked forwards to, but she also didn't want to be Megatron's personal pet.

His Companion gave her a small smile. "I think your species might be one of the few that can handle the nanomites. That's why I even went along with the idea of injecting more into your system."

"Why?" she asked out of curiosity as he gently withdrew the needle from her arm.

He pressed a bandage to her small wound. "Human physiology is very close to a Cybertronian Companion's. For that reason I believe that the nanomites won't have as much trouble colonizing your body."

"What causes them to kill other biological beings?" she asked.

"Astute," he murmured. "The nanomites use minerals that you ingest as well as the same sugars that your cells utilize. Really, the only difference between your dietary needs and mine is that I need about three times the amount of minerals such as iron and calories that you need."

"So, humans should be okay with your nanomites, right? If I all I need is to eat more spinach and skip the low fat stuff then I should be okay."

Ratchet-Companion's human-like eyes crinkled in humor. "We will see. As I said, it's a possibility that your body will be able to handle the nanos. Megatron should have only introduced a few into that bite, so the amount in this vial should reprogram them."

"How? I thought those were blanks."

"I added a new programing to them. They now have a facsimile of what normal nanos have on them," Ratchet answered. "Your designation, age, lineage, and occupation."

"And what exactly did you put on there?" she asked. "How did you know my lineage whatever that is?"

"The information says Designation Maggie Madsen, Age 23, Lineage Caucasian, Occupation Computer Expert."

"Okay," she murmured. Suddenly, she felt a lancing pain in her elbow above the bite and injection site. "Ow!"

Ratchet-Companion frowned. "Damn, I'd hoped they'd not start the process so quickly. I'm going to put you on a nutrient drip and sedate you. The pain is not something you want to experience."

He was right, her arm felt like it was going to fall off. "What's going on?"

"The nanomites go into the joints like the elbow to replicate. The pain is caused by them drawing nutrients from surrounding tissues," he explained as he put another needle into her flesh.

Maggie nodded, already finding her eyes growing heavy. The pain was also receding. "How long will I be out?"

"I don't know."

* * *

That night found the Decepticons meeting in the deserts of Nevada. Frenzy and Barricade roared up the road, trailing Bonecrusher and Brawl behind them. Starscream and Megatron swooped from the sky, landing with grace. The group looked fearsome in the pale light of the moon.

Megatron-Companion took a deep breath of the night air. It had been far too long. Thankfully, his long entombment had left him unconscious for most of it, but he had faded in and out a few times. The most recent had been when he'd sworn he had felt the presence of his arch-nemesis. "Starscream," he barked.

"Yes, Lord?" Starscream replied with a smarmy little smile on his Companion's face.

"Where are the Autobots?" If Optimus was here, he was most likely not alone. "Where is _he_?"

Starscream glanced towards Barricade. Both of them had noticed long ago that Megatron had a particular kind of hate for Optimus, but neither had the courage to ask. "We are not entirely sure. They left before we could get to the Dam."

Megatron tensed as if to strike, and Starscream cringed away. However, the leader of the Decepticons didn't follow through. Instead, he growled. In the back of his mind the entire day he'd been monitoring the human femme he'd marked in the Dam, and she'd just gone dark on him. He could still feel her vital stats – heart rate was up, blood pressure was high, and she was in pain, but he couldn't track her any more. "No matter," Megatron stated. "We will simply hunt for the Allspark. Where it is, we'll find them."

Bonecrusher bowed to his lord now that that particular being seemed to be in a better mood. "We are glad to have you back, my lord," he intoned in his deep as Hell voice. Starscream threw him a dirty look for the not-so-hidden insult.

"It is quite good to be back," Megatron returned with a small smile. It wasn't an evil smile, in fact, it was more amused than anything. "Barricade, what have you been up to while I slept?"

Barricade threw another glance at Starscream. "We have been trying to carry out the contingency plans, but we've lost contact with both of your . . . mentors."

"Where are Shockwave and Soundwave?"

"We're not entirely sure," Barricade answered honestly. He didn't fear retribution for his truths. If anyone was punished, it would be the leader that had gotten them into that situation – Starscream. Megatron was actually pretty fair like that. "We lost contact after the Exodus. We've only established contact with approximately forty percent of our projected remaining troops."

"Everyone else is probably hiding out across the galaxy," Brawl added. A bruiser he was, but dumb he was not.

"Starscream," Megatron began mildly, "Would you have told me any of this?"

The jet Decepticon made a moue with his Companion's lips. "Yes, but with more confusing verbiage and less respect."

The other Decepticons watched silently, waiting to see how this would play out. Starscream and Megatron had a confusing relationship that none of their subordinates truly understood. It was something between simply dysfunctional and horrifyingly abusive on both sides. It was almost as if, to Barricade's mind, the two of them believed on some level that they deserved this type of relationship. It was a sick, mad kind of love, if one could even call it that. Oddly enough, Barricade did.

But perhaps that only highlighted Barricade's own sickness.

Megatron reached out, and brushed Starscream's cheek before closing his fingers around the other mech's chin. "One day," he said with terrifying softness, "I'm going to watch this pretty little head roll on the ground, and I will laugh."

Starscream wrenched his head out of Megatron's grasp. "You always say that. Always."

The evil laugh that bellowed into the night was a familiar sound to the Decepticons, and comforted Barricade in a strange way. After the death of his family, he had cleaved to the Cybertron Defense Forces as his new family, and after the First Wave of the Quintessons and the Great Defiance, the Decepticons. Barricade really didn't care one way or the other about Galactic Manifest Destiny or the Sanctity of Freedom, but he did care about his family, messed up, wacked out, and omnicidal as it may be.

"What now, my lord?" Barricade asked.

Megatron moved his gaze over the sky, staring at the unfamiliar stars. "We rest. As it is, we have all the time in the world until either of my teachers arrive. We need them for the next stage."

The night in the desert returned to its tranquility as two jets, a mine clearing vehicle, a tank, and a police car sat in the night in a loose circle. The Decepticon Companions bedded down beside their Handlers, with Frenzy bedding down beside Barricade-Companion. Barricade-Companion glanced up at the sky, and counted the stars until he fell into a deep sleep.


End file.
